Biodiscovery from rare actinomycetes: an eco-taxonomical perspective

Microbial natural products, in particular, the ones produced by the members of the order Actinomycetales, will continue to represent an important route to the discovery of novel classes of bioactive compounds. As a result, the search for and discovery of lesser-known and/or novel actinomycetes is of significant interest to the industry due to a growing need for the development of new and potent therapeutic agents, mainly against drug resistant bacteria. Current advancements in genomics and metagenomics are adding strength to the target-directed search for detection and isolation of bioactive actinomycetes. New discoveries, however, will only stem from a sound understanding and interpretation of knowledge derived from conventional studies conducted since the discovery of streptomycin, on the ecology, taxonomy, physiology and metabolism of actinomycetes, and from a combination of this knowledge with currently available and continuously advancing molecular tools. Such a powerful information platform will then inevitably reveal the whereabouts, taxonomical and chemical identities of previously undetected bioactive actinomycetes including novel species of streptomycetes as potential producers of novel drug candidates.