ABSTRACT
Actinomycetes are filamentous, branching bacteria that are widely distributed in nature. They are mainly found in soil, where they play a major role in the decomposition of organic matter. Some species cause diseases of animals or plants; a few species are parasitic and have been isolated only from their animal hosts. Some actinomycetes are of medical and industrial importance as producers of antibiotics, and others are used industrially as agents of chemical transformations. For general reviews on actinomycetes see References 1 to 6.
