198 



THE ACTIXOMYCKTES, Vol. II 



sky-blue soluble pigment by several strains; 

 it may later become deep blue or blue-violet. 

 Addition of glycerol delays pigment forma- 

 tion. 



Gelatin: Good growth. Rapid liquefaction. 

 No soluble pigment. 



Milk: No coagulation, rapid peptoniza- 

 tion, complete within 15 days at 22-27°C; 

 coagulation within 3 to 5 days, followed by 

 peptonization at 36°C. 



Starch hydrolysis: Strong. 



Nitrate reduction : Positive ; none reported 

 for S. canescus by Hickey et al. (1952). 



Carbon sources: Utilizes L-xylose, L-arabi- 

 nose, D-fructose, D-galactose, D-mannitol, 

 salicin; does not utilize L-rhamnose or raffi- 

 nose; most strains do not utilize sucrose. 



Hemolysis of blood: Rapid at 37°C. 



Production of H 2 S: Negative. 



Antagonistic properties: Active upon sev- 

 eral fungi and yeasts; all strains as far as 

 tested produce polyene antibiotics. S. griseus 

 (Krainsky) Waksman and Curtis (1916) 

 probably belongs to this species, since it is 

 now known to produce an antifungal agent 

 of the polyene type. 



Ecology: S. coelicolor is widely distributed 

 in nature. In a search for polyene-producing 

 organisms, Pledger and Lechevalier (1955- 

 1956) found 26 strains among 93 isolates 

 which produced polyenes and which can be 

 regarded as belonging to this species. Among 

 the 382 subgroups of Kutzner (1956), the 

 S. coelicolor subgroup was the one which 

 comprised most strains. Heymer (1957) 

 found this organism strikingly often on the 

 skin and in the tonsils of men. The first 

 culture of this species isolated by Muller 

 (1908) and the ascosin-producing organism 

 (*S. canescus) were found as chance con- 

 taminants; this indicates the wide distribu- 

 tion of the organism in air. The relationship 

 of blue pigment-forming bacteria, designated 

 as Actinobacillus and Actinococcus, to this 

 organism was discussed by Beijerinck 

 (1913a). 



Numerous cultures isolated by different 

 investigators and described as S. coelicolor 

 belong to S. violaceoruber. Others, however, 

 such as A. tricolor Wollenweber, are related 

 to S. coelicolor. 



Type culture: A strain of this organism 

 was deposited by R. Muller in the CBS. 



59. Streptomyces collinus Lindenbein, 1952 

 Lindenbein, W. Arch. Mikrobiol. 17: 361- 

 383, 1952). 



Morphology: Sporophores form spirals. 

 Spores oval. 



Glycerol nitrate agar: Growth yellow- 

 brown to red-brown. Aerial mycelium chalk- 

 white. Soluble pigment yellow-brown, later 

 becoming reddish-brown . 



Glucose-asparagine agar: Growth yellow- 

 brown to purple-red. Aerial mycelium chalk- 

 white, later ash-gray. Soluble pigment car- 

 mine-red, later brown-red. 



Glycerol malate agar: Growth yellow- 

 brown to red-brown. Aerial mycelium vel- 

 vety, chalk-white. Soluble pigment yellow- 

 brown. 



Nutrient agar: Growth dark brown. Aerial 

 mycelium powdery, gray-white. Soluble pig- 

 ment dark brown. Melanin-positive. 



Glucose-peptone agar: Growth yellow- 

 brown and red. Aerial mycelium velvety, 

 white. Soluble pigment chestnut-brown. 



Starch media: Growth reddish to orange. 

 Aerial mycelium white. Hydrolysis medium. 



Potato: Growth good. Aerial mycelium 

 white. Xo soluble pigment. 



Gelatin: Growth dark brown. Xo aerial 

 mycelium. Soluble pigment dark brown. 

 Liquefaction rapid. 



Milk: Growth good; dark brown reverse. 

 Aerial mycelium white, later ash-gray. Solu- 

 ble pigment dark brown. No peptonization. 



Cellulose: Growth good, colorless. 



Antagonistic properties: Produces an anti- 

 biotically active pigment. 



Habitat: Soil. 



Remarks: Closely related to S. erythro- 

 chromogenes. ( lause et al. (1957) described a 



