title: Taxonomy, Physiology, and Natural Products of Actinobacteria.
abstract: Actinobacteria are Gram-positive bacteria with high G+C DNA content that constitute one of the largest bacterial phyla, and they are ubiquitously distributed in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Many Actinobacteria have a mycelial lifestyle and undergo complex morphological differentiation. They also have an extensive secondary metabolism and produce about two-thirds of all naturally derived antibiotics in current clinical use, as well as many anticancer, anthelmintic, and antifungal compounds. Consequently, these bacteria are of major importance for biotechnology, medicine, and agriculture. Actinobacteria play diverse roles in their associations with various higher organisms, since their members have adopted different lifestyles, and the phylum includes pathogens (notably, species of Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium, Nocardia, Propionibacterium, and Tropheryma), soil inhabitants (e.g., Micromonospora and Streptomyces species), plant commensals (e.g., Frankia spp.), and gastrointestinal commensals (Bifidobacterium spp.). Actinobacteria also play an important role as symbionts and as pathogens in plant-associated microbial communities. This review presents an update on the biology of this important bacterial phylum.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Stress, Défenses et Reproduction des Plantes, Unité de Recherche Vignes et Vins de Champagne, UFR Sciences, UPRES EA 4707, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France ea.barka@univ-reims.fr g.wezel@biology.leidenuniv.nl.
authors.forename: Essaid Ait
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Barka
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Stress, Défenses et Reproduction des Plantes, Unité de Recherche Vignes et Vins de Champagne, UFR Sciences, UPRES EA 4707, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France.
authors.forename: Parul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vatsa
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Stress, Défenses et Reproduction des Plantes, Unité de Recherche Vignes et Vins de Champagne, UFR Sciences, UPRES EA 4707, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Stress, Défenses et Reproduction des Plantes, Unité de Recherche Vignes et Vins de Champagne, UFR Sciences, UPRES EA 4707, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gaveau-Vaillant
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Stress, Défenses et Reproduction des Plantes, Unité de Recherche Vignes et Vins de Champagne, UFR Sciences, UPRES EA 4707, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France.
authors.forename: Cedric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jacquard
authors.forename: Jan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Meier-Kolthoff
authors.affiliation: School of Biology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Klenk
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Stress, Défenses et Reproduction des Plantes, Unité de Recherche Vignes et Vins de Champagne, UFR Sciences, UPRES EA 4707, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clément
authors.affiliation: Faculté de Sciences Semlalia, Université Cadi Ayyad, Laboratoire de Biologie et de Biotechnologie des Microorganismes, Marrakesh, Morocco.
authors.forename: Yder
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ouhdouch
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biotechnology, Institute of Biology, Sylvius Laboratories, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands ea.barka@univ-reims.fr g.wezel@biology.leidenuniv.nl.
authors.forename: Gilles P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: van Wezel
mesh_terms: D039903:Actinobacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001688:Biological Products / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006540:Herbicides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007306:Insecticides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D056265:Microbial Interactions; D010802:Phylogeny; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D006540:Herbicides; D007306:Insecticides; D010860:Pigments, Biological