The order Glycomycetales and the genus Actinocatenispora

Abstract

The order Glycomycetales comprises the family Glycomycetaceae with its genera Glycomyces, Haloglycomyces and Stackebrandtia. Also covered in this chapter is the genus Actinocatenispora which, in some 16S rRNA gene sequence-based trees shows a weak affiliation to this order. The type strains were either directly isolated from soil or they were recovered as endophytes. All strains form a vegetative mycelium and some strains form an aerial mycelium on some media. Antibiotic substances have been identified in one species, and the presence of PKS I genes have been demonstrated in an unnamed species. Members of the order can be isolated routinely on standard growth media but are considered rare actinomycetes as their presence is hardly detected in non-culture studies.