CHARACTERIZATION OF STREPTOMYCES SPECIES 



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Figure 1»>. Schematic representation of differenl types of spirals produced by various Streptomyces 

 species; the spirals range from long to short , from compart to irregular I Reproduced from: Shinobu, R. 

 Mem. Osaka Univ. Lib. Arts and Ed. B. Nat. Sci. 7. 1958 



Before a culture is pronounced as forming 

 no spirals, therefore, it must be grown on a 

 variety of selective media that will allow 

 optimum sporulation. Drechsler (1919) sug- 

 gested use of the right-hand or left-hand 

 curvature of the spirals as a diagnostic fea- 

 ture, but this, too, is influenced by the 

 composition of the medium (Ettlinger ei "/., 

 L958; Shinobu, 1958). Verticil formation is 

 also an important characteristic of certain 

 species; it can be simple or branching (pri- 

 mary or secondary verticils), the branches 

 being straighl or forming spirals; but this 

 property as well is influenced to some extent 

 by the composition of the medium. Al- 

 though aocardiae may produce sporulating 

 aerial filaments, these are never spiral- 

 shaped (Fig. lf»). 



Waksman (MHO, L950) divided the or- 

 ganisms belonging to the genus Actinomyces 

 (largely the forms now included in the genus 

 Streptomyces) into the following five sub- 

 groups on the basis of the Structure of the 

 sporulal ion hyphae. 



I. Straighl sporulating hyphae, monopo- 



dia] branching, never producing regular 

 spirals. 

 II. Spore-bearing hyphae arranged in clus- 

 ters, or broom-shaped arising from 

 compression of the sporophores. 

 III. Spiral formation in aerial mycelium; 



long, open spirals. 

 IV. Spiral formation in aerial mycelium; 



short, compact spirals. 

 V. Spore-bearing hyphae arranged on my- 

 celium in whorls (verticils) or tufts. 

 Krassilnikov (1941, I'M!)) divided the 

 genus Actinomyces (largely forms included 

 in Streptomyces) on the basis ( ,i' the following 

 properties: I I I spiral forming versus straighl 

 sporophores; (2) alternate distribution of 

 sporophores on aerial mycelium versus verti- 

 cil formation; (3) spherical versus oval 

 -pore-; (4) colorless versus pigmented cul- 

 tures; (5) white versus colored aerial my- 

 celium; iii) saprophytes versus parasites. 



Aiso et al. (1948) divided the genus Strep- 

 tomyces on the basis of the structure of the 

 aerial mycelium into -ix types: 

 I. Spirals n<>t formed. 



