Streptomyces for Sustainability

Streptomyces is a genus of gram-positive bacteria with a mycelial growth habit and the ability to produce spores. Due to their unparalleled ability to produce antibiotics, most of the early research carried out on Streptomyces was antibiotic discovery-driven, with over two thirds of antibiotics used for medical purposes originally isolated from Streptomyces. However, their ubiquity, high capacity of adaptation to different niches and rich secondary metabolite production, make them an invaluable source of solutions in diverse human activities, including medicine, agriculture, industry and toxic waste remotion. In addition to the ability to culture and produce Streptomyces and Streptomyces-derived metabolites, knowledge on how to manipulate natural populations of Streptomyces will likely improve our ability to make environmentally sustainable decisions.