Actinomycetes are a special group of prokaryotes that can form branching hyphae and conidia. They grow in filamentous form and mainly reproduce through spores. They are named after the radial shape of their colonies. The order Actinobacteria includes multiple suborders, families, and genera, with the following being some of the main representative genera:
1. Actinobacteria genus: As a basic genus of the order Actinobacteria, it has typical characteristics of actinomycetes.
2. Arthrobacter genus: The actinomycetes of this genus have certain uniqueness in morphology and physiological characteristics.
3. Corynebacterium genus: Some species of Corynebacterium exist as normal flora in the intestines of humans and animals, while others can cause diseases.
4. Frankella genus: This is an actinomycete that can form a symbiotic relationship with plants and is beneficial for plant growth.
5. Micrococcus genus: The actinomycetes of this genus are mostly Gram positive and widely distributed in nature.
6. Microcystis genus: characterized by the production of a single spore, which is unique among actinomycetes.
7. Mycobacterium genus: including species such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis that cause human diseases, as well as non pathogenic species widely present in certain environments. Although the genus Mycobacterium is broadly classified as actinomycetes, in a narrow sense, some mycobacteria that cannot form obvious hyphae (such as tuberculosis and leprosy bacteria) may be excluded from actinomycetes.
8. Nocardia genus: widely present in soil and water, some species can cause Nocardia disease in humans and animals.
9. Streptomyces genus: It is the largest genus of actinomycetes, including many species that produce antibiotics, such as Streptomyces coelicolor producing streptomycin, Streptomyces coelicolor producing chloramphenicol, and Streptomyces aureomycin producing tetracycline.
There are also other genera of actinomycetes such as Actinobacteria and Trichomycetes. These actinomycetes are widely present in nature, not only participating in the transformation and cycling of soil substances, but also closely related to human production and life. For example, actinomycetes play an important role in food fermentation, antibiotic production, wastewater treatment, and other fields. Meanwhile, some actinomycetes may also cause diseases in humans and animals, such as actinomycosis.
Actinobacteria are a large and diverse group, including multiple genera and species, which play important roles in both nature and human society.