Quantifying target microbial populations in complex communities remains a barrier to studying species interactions in soil environments. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays were developed for quantifying pathogenic Streptomyces scabiei and antibiotic-producing Streptomyces lavendulae strains in complex soil communities. This assay will be useful for evaluating the competitive dynamics of streptomyce...

The taxonomic description of Streptomyces spadicogriseus, a new species belonging to the Gray Series of streptomycetes as classified by Pridham and Tresner, is presented. This new species is distinguishable from the known members of the Gray Series. Streptomyces spadicogriseus produces anthramycin but bears no taxonomic relation to the known producer of the antibiotic: S. refuineus var. thermot...

Streptomycetes are Gram-positive bacteria growing as branching filaments. The filaments are able to deform. This ability allows the cells to squeeze through capillaries as small as 0.2 micron in diameter. After passage through the capillaries, numerous hyphae are morphologically altered to a helical structure.

A new organism belonging to the grey series of streptomycetes is described which produces 55 to 75 micrograms of daunomycin per ml in a sparged fermentor. This organism is not taxonomically related to other known daunomycin producers. Its proposed name in Streptomyces insignis ATCC 31913.

Streptomyces sioyaensis, which produces the antibiotic siomycin, oxidizes elemental sulfur when added to the culture medium and accumulates thiosulfate in the fermented broth. The accumulated thiosulfate was isolated as the ammonium salt and was identified by melting point, IR spectrum, and paper chromatography. A variety of other streptomycetes also oxidized elemental sulfur and accumulated th...