Streptomycetes and beyond

Abstract

In terms of commercial value, the streptomycetes rank high among the bacteria, having been the principal source of numerous and valuable therapeutic agents for more than half a century. The current world market for antibiotics is upwards of $US 25 million/year, of which a significant proportion are the products of bacterial fermentation, mainly from Streptomyces species. In terms of the industrial exploitation of microbial products in general, only the yeasts are more important, having provided humans with sustenance and pleasure for thousands of years.