Some Actinomycetes isolated from Waigeo Raja Ampat Regency Papua have been identified. Those isolates were also characterized for their cellulolitic and phosphate solubilizing ability. Microscopic identification was based on Miyadoh (1997) and Holt (1994) methods.Actinomycetes could be identified by microscopic observation on spores, chain spore, hypha, aerial hypha and its pigmentation.The cellulolitic ability was observed by clear zone ratio in CMC medium and phosphate solubilizing activity by the same approach in Vikoskaya medium.From 139 Waigeo's Actinomycetes isolates which had been deposited in LIPI Microbial Collection (LIPIMC) were identified as 10 genera (Actinomadura, Actinoplanes, Microbiospora, Micromonospora, Nocardia, Pseudonocardia, Saccharopolispora, Streptomices, Streptosporangium and Thermomonospora). As much as 57.5% phosphate solubilizing actinomycetes and 82.7 % cellulolitic actinomycetes were detected.

Identification of a new actinomycete strain Sg3, belonging to the genus Streptosporangium and partial characterization of the produced antibacterial activities. The strain Sg3 was isolated from an Algerian Saharan soil and identified by morphological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses to the genus Streptosporangium. The comparison of its physiological characteristics with those of known species of Streptosporangium showed significant differences with the nearest species Streptosporangium carneum. Analysis of the 16S rDNA sequence of strain Sg3 showed a similarity level ranging between 97% and 98.8% within Streptosporangium species, with S. carneum the most closely related. Strain Sg3 showed a red coloured antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria on several culture media. The purification of the red pigment by chromatographic methods led to the isolation of three active products. The (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass, infrared (IR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) data of these molecules strongly suggested that they belonged to the quinone-anthracycline group with three or more rings. Strain Sg3 represents a distinct phyletic line suggesting a new genomic species. It produces antibacterial activities identified as quinone-anthracycline aromatics. The quinone-anthracycline antibiotics are known for their antimicrobial and antineoplastic activities and are used in chemotherapy for the treatment of many cancer diseases. The present work constitutes the first stage of a whole series of studies to be realized on these antibiotics before arriving at a possible application.

The taxonomic status of five actinomycete strains, 3-28(8)T, 4-20(13), 3D-70(20), 5-81(36) and 3D-72(35)T, isolated from sandy soil was studied using the polyphasic approach. All isolates produced branching substrate mycelia and developed spherical spore vesicles on aerial hyphae containing non-motile spores. They contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and the N-acetyl type of peptidoglycan. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9(H4) and MK-9(H6). Madurose, mannose, ribose, galactose and glucose were detected in the whole-cell hydrolysate. The diagnostic phospholipids were phosphatidylethanolamine and ninhydrin-positive phosphoglycolipids, and iso-C16:0 and 10 methyl C17:0 were detected as the major cellular fatty acids. These morphological and chemotaxonomic data were related to those of the genus Streptosporangium in the family Streptosporangiaceae. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequence data suggested that the strains belong to the family Streptosporangiaceae, but not to any known genus, and form a monophyletic clade with Streptosporangium viridialbum and “Streptosporangium cinnabarinum”. The signature nucleotides of the members of this clade are different from those of any known genera of the family Streptosporangiaceae. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis and the characteristic patterns of signature nucleotides as well as the morphological and chemotaxonomic data, the genus Sphaerosporangium gen. nov. is proposed for our five isolates and the type strains of Streptosporangium viridialbum and “Streptosporangium cinnabarinum”. DNA–DNA hybridization and phenotypic characterization indicate that the new genus comprises four species, Sphaerosporangium melleum sp. nov. with the type strain 3-28(8)T (=JCM 13064T =DSM 44954T), Sphaerosporangium rubeum sp. nov. with the type strain 3D-72(35)T (=JCM 13067T =DSM 44936T), Sphaerosporangium cinnabarinum sp. nov. (=JCM 3291 =DSM 44094) and Sphaerosporangium viridialbum comb. nov. (=JCM 3027T =DSM 43801T).

Taxonomy and chemical characterization of antibiotics of Streptosporangium Sg 10 isolated from a Saharan soil

The structure of actinomycete complexes in the rhizosphere of winter rye (Secale cereale L.) varieties originating from different ecosystems and geographical zones was studied in field experiments on soddy podzolic soil. In addition to streptomycetes, the complexes studied contained actinomycetes of the genera Micromonospora and Streptosporangium, represented at high occurrence and comparable abundance rates. The rhizosphere of most of the studied rye varieties was dominated by micromonosporas. The antifungal potential of mycelial prokaryotes associated with winter rye was assessed. The taxonomic and functional structure of actinomycete complexes was shown to be similar in rye varieties originating from the nonchernozem zone of Russia. However, the actinomycete complex proved to be much different in the rye variety that developed in the steppe zone of the lower Volga region.

Two strains of Streptosporangium were isolated from Yunnan Province, a region of China with specific geographical conditions that contribute to its great microbiological diversity. They were identified using a polyphasic approach employing phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic techniques, such as study of morphological and physiological properties, cell chemistry, G+C content of the genomic DNA, DNA-DNA hybridization and phylogenetic analysis. The strains belong to two novel species of Streptosporangium on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results of morphological, physiological and biochemical investigations and DNA-DNA hybridization indicated that the two strains are different from known members of the genus Streptosporangium. The names Streptosporangium yunnanense sp. nov. (type strain CY-11007(T)=CCTCC AA 97009(T)=CCRC 16307(T)=DSM 44663(T)) and Streptosporangium purpuratum sp. nov. (type strain CY-15110(T)=CCTCC AA 97010(T)=CCRC 16308(T)=DSM 44688(T)) are proposed. They have been deposited in CCTCC in Wuhan.

A chitinolytic actinomycete complex in chernozem soil has a specific taxonomic composition, which differs from that of the actinomycete complex typically isolated on standard nutrient media containing sugars and organic acids as carbon sources. The actinomycete complex that was isolated by using nutrient media with chitin as the source of carbon and nitrogen was dominated by representatives of the genus Streptosporangium, and the actinomycete complex that was isolated by using nutrient media with sugars and organic acids as the carbon sources was dominated by representatives of the genus Streptomyces. The confirmation of the ability of actinomycetes to utilize chitin as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen came from the augmented length and biomass of the mycelium, the increased number and biomass of the actinomycete spores, the production of carbon dioxide, and the accumulation of NH4+ ions in the culture liquid of the actinomycetes grown in the nutrient media with chitin.

Improved secondary metabolite production in the genus Streptosporangium by optimization of the fermentation conditions

Nutritional preferences of a group of Streptosporangium soil isolates

The 16S rRNA gene sequences of 7 Microbispora strains, 14 Microtetraspora species, 9 Streptosporangium species, and 12 Actinomadura species were determined. A phylogenetic analysis showed that Microtetraspora fusca, Microtetraspora glauca, and Microtetraspora niveoalba formed a coherent cluster with the members of the genus Microbispora. This cluster is distantly related to two other clusters, one of which consists of the Microtetraspora species transferred from the former Actinomadura pusilla group and one of which consists of members of the genus Streptosporangium. Our results show that it is necessary to review the taxonomic definitions of the genera Microtetraspora and Microbispora, which have been separated by a single morphological characteristic, the number of spores on spore chains.

The Phylogenetic Structure of the Genus Streptosporangium

Evidence for the Phylogenetic Heterogeneity of the Genus Streptosporangium

We analyzed the ribosomal AT-L30 proteins from 11 type strains of species belonging to the genus Streptosporangium. The electrophoretic mobilities of the AT-L30 preparations from these strains, as determined by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, revealed that they could be divided into three groups. The first group contained Streptosporangium viridogriseum, S. viridogriseum subsp. kofuense, and S. albidum, while the second group contained S. roseum, S. album, S. vulgare, S. nondiastaticum, S. fragile, S. violaceochromogenes, and S. amethystogenes. S. corrugatum was a member of the third group. These groups were completely consistent with Nonomura's previous classification, which was based on morphological criteria. The results of partial amino acid sequencing of AT-L30 preparations from several representative strains strongly supported the hypothesis that each of the three groups of the genus Streptosporangium merits separate generic status.

A new species of the genus Streptosporangium is described. This organism is characterized by light yellowish pink aerial hyphae bearing abundant sporangia which enclose many large, spherical, nonmotile spores. Cell walls of this new species contain meso-diaminopimelic acid, mannose, arabinose, and madurose (cell wall chemotype III and type B whole-cell sugar pattern); the cells contain phosphatidylinositol, diphosphatidylglycerol, and unknown glucosamine-containing phospholipids (phospholipid pattern type PIV), and they contain no mycolic acids. The major menaquinone detected was MK-9(H4); a minor amount of MK-9(H2) was also detected. Thus, this isolate has chemical and morphological properties that are consistent with the properties of the genus Streptosporangium. A comparison with previously described species of the genus Streptosporangium in which we used standard techniques plus fatty acid analyses indicated that this organism differs from previously described species. The name proposed for this new species is Streptosporangium carneum. The type strain is strain A84575 (= NRRL 18437). The description is based on a single isolate.

A novel, solvent extractable, antibiotic complex has been purified from the fermentation broth of an unusual member of the genus Streptosporangium. Two of the major components were isolated from the complex by alumina column chromatography. One of the components was identified as a previously reported compound, 1,6-dihydroxyphenazine. The other component was a novel chlorine containing phenazine, 1,6-dihydroxy-2-chlorophenazine, which exhibited broad spectrum antifungal activity in vitro against dermatophytes and Candida.

Sporulating colonies of Streptomyces ipomoea were observed using light and scanning electron microscopy. In addition to the open loops and spiral chains of spores characteristic of S. ipomoea, globose structures resembling sporangia of the genus Streptosporangium were found. The "sporangia" had a smooth surface, were 5-6 micrometers in diameter, and consisted of an unbranched coiled hypha within an enveloping sheath. As the sporangia matured, septa formed in the internal sporogenous hypha forming coiled chains of spores morphologically similar to those formed on the typical spore chains. The sporangia germinated on agar, without releasing the nonmotile spores, by formation of several germ tubes at several locations on the sporangia.

Since the isolation of Streptosporangium viridogriseum1) the original sporaviridin producing strain, a new species of sporangium-forming actinomycete, has been isolated as a producer of sporaviridin-like antibiotics. This strain, indexed MCRL-048 in our culture collection, was isolated from the soil sample collected at Mt. Tanigawa, Gumma Prefecture. Taxonomic studies revealed that strain MCRL-048 is a new species belong ing to the genus Streptosporangium, for which the name Streptosporangium albidum Furumai et Okuda nov. sp. is proposed. The present paper concerns the taxonomy of strain MCRL-048.