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Updated: May 13, 2026

Visual and Microscopic Evaluation of Streptomyces Developmental Mutants
Published on: September 12, 2018
Characterization of Streptomyces isolates causing colour changes of mural paintings in ancient Egyptian tombs
M E F Abdel-Haliem1, A A Sakr, M F Ali
1Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt. farrag1999@yahoo.com
Abstract:
Paintings in ancient Egyptian tombs often suffer colour changes due to microbial growth and colonization. Streptomyces strains were isolated from mural paintings of Tell Basta and Tanis tombs (East of Nile Delta, Egypt) and were identified using biochemical and molecular methods. The16S rDNA sequences data indicated that isolated strains were closely related to S. coelicolor, S. albidofuscus, S. ambofaciens, S. canarius, S. parvullus, S. corchorusii, S. albidofuscus and S. nigrifaciens. It could be shown that Streptomyces strains are involved on a large scale in the colour changes of paintings and stone support by producing a wide range of metabolites such as acids (oxalic, citric and sulphuric acids), biopigments of melanin, carotenoids, and hydrogen sulphide.
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