BioMed Research International Actinomycetes: Role in Biotechnology and Medicine Guest Editors: Neelu Nawani, Bertrand Aigle, Abul Mandal, Manish Bodas, Sofiane Ghorbel, and Divya Prakash Actinomycetes: Role in Biotechnology and Medicine BioMed Research International Actinomycetes: Role in Biotechnology and Medicine Guest Editors: Neelu Nawani, Bertrand Aigle, Abul Mandal, Manish Bodas, Sofiane Ghorbel, and Divya Prakash Copyright © 2013 Hindawi Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved. This is a special issue published in “BioMed Research International.” All articles are open access articles distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Contents Actinomycetes: Role in Biotechnology and Medicine, Neelu Nawani, Bertrand Aigle, Abul Mandal, Manish Bodas, Sofiane Ghorbel, and Divya Prakash Volume 2013, Article ID 687190, 1 page Actinomycetes: A Repertory of Green Catalysts with a Potential Revenue Resource, Divya Prakash, Neelu Nawani, Mansi Prakash, Manish Bodas, Abul Mandal, Madhukar Khetmalas, and Balasaheb Kapadnis Volume 2013, Article ID 264020, 8 pages Streptomyces misionensis PESB-25 Produces a Thermoacidophilic Endoglucanase Using Sugarcane Bagasse and Corn Steep Liquor as the Sole Organic Substrates, Marcella Novaes Franco-Cirigliano, Raquel de Carvalho Rezende, Monicaˆ Pires Gravina-Oliveira, Pedro Henrique Freitas Pereira, Rodrigo Pires do Nascimento, Elba Pinto da Silva Bon, Andrew Macrae, and Rosalie Reed Rodrigues Coelho Volume 2013, Article ID 584207, 9 pages Anti-Candida Properties of Urauchimycins from Actinobacteria Associated with Trachymyrmex Ants, Thais D. Mendes, Warley S. Borges, Andre Rodrigues, Scott E. Solomon, Paulo C. Vieira, MartaC.T.Duarte,andFernandoC.Pagnocca Volume 2013, Article ID 835081, 8 pages Identification and Biotechnological Application of Novel Regulatory Genes Involved in Streptomyces Polyketide Overproduction through Reverse Engineering Strategy,Ji-HyeNah,Hye-JinKim,Han-NaLee, Mi-Jin Lee, Si-Sun Choi, and Eung-Soo Kim Volume 2013, Article ID 549737, 10 pages Endophytic Actinomycetes: A Novel Source of Potential Acyl Homoserine Lactone Degrading Enzymes, Surang Chankhamhaengdecha, Suphatra Hongvijit, Akkaraphol Srichaisupakit, Pattra Charnchai, and Watanalai Panbangred Volume 2013, Article ID 782847, 8 pages Streptomyces lunalinharesii Strain 235 Shows the Potential to Inhibit Bacteria Involved in Biocorrosion Processes, Juliana Pacheco da Rosa, Elisa Korenblum, Marcella Novaes Franco-Cirigliano, Fernanda Abreu, Ulysses Lins, Rosangelaˆ M. A. Soares, Andrew Macrae, Lucy Seldin, and Rosalie R. R. Coelho Volume 2013, Article ID 309769, 10 pages Hindawi Publishing Corporation BioMed Research International Volume 2013, Article ID 687190, 1 page http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/687190 Editorial Actinomycetes: Role in Biotechnology and Medicine Neelu Nawani,1 Bertrand Aigle,2,3 Abul Mandal,4 Manish Bodas,1 Sofiane Ghorbel,5 and Divya Prakash1 1 Dr.D.Y.PatilBiotechnologyandBioinformaticsInstitute,Dr.D.Y.PatilVidyapeeth,Pune411033,India 2 Universite´ de Lorraine, UMR 1128, Dynamique des Genomes´ et Adaptation Microbienne, 54506 Vandœuvre-les-Nancy,` France 3 INRA, Dynamique des Genomes´ et Adaptation Microbienne, UMR 1128, 54506 Vandœuvre-les-Nancy,` France 4 School of Life Sciences, System Biology Research Center, University of Skovde,¨ Box 408, 541-28 Skovde,¨ Sweden 5 LaboratoiredeGenie´ Enzymatique et de Microbiologie, Ecole Nationale D’Ingenieurs´ de Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia Correspondence should be addressed to Neelu Nawani; [email protected] Received 16 May 2013; Accepted 16 May 2013 Copyright © 2013 Neelu Nawani et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Actinomycetes, one of the most diverse groups of filamentous is on par with commercial antimicrobials, clearly manifest- bacteria, are well recognized for their metabolic versatility. ing a new explorable niche “actinobacterial symbionts of The bioactive potential of these bacteria facilitates their plants and animals.” The term “antimicrobials” often leads survival even in distress and unfavourable ecological con- our thoughts to “medicine-related” but it’s “environment- ditions. This special issue is dedicated to the importance of related” applications are less contrived. Streptomyces lunal- multitudeofprimaryandsecondarymetabolitesproducedby inharesii produces antimicrobial substances against sulfate- actinomycetes. The six articles published in this issue balance reducing bacteria commonly responsible for corrosion in the the biocatalytic and biocidal potential of actinomycetes. petroleum industry, with an ability to replace the existing The importance of large repertory of enzymes from biocides. Making the best out of the already good can be actinomycetes and their potential in replacing chemical achieved for actinomycetes by strain improvement. Advanced catalysts is discussed. Successful commercialization of these microarray-driven reverse engineering strategies for the enzymesisanimportantsteptowardsrevolutionizing“green understanding and modulation of independently functioning technology.” Reduction in the cost of enzyme production is regulatory pathways can allow these microfactories to over- demonstrated by production of endoglucanases from Strep- produce important antibiotics. tomyces sp. on low-cost substrates. Such low-cost production In a nutshell, actinomycetes offer the most promising initiatives can be extended to other enzymes and metabolites. synthesizers of many industrially and commercially mean- Novel properties like thermal and ionic stabilities and a better ingful metabolites. Novel and unexplored habitats may offer turnover make these systems infallible and regenerative. bacterial assemblages not reached hitherto. An integration The activity of enzymes from actinomycetes is not confined of newer habitats, screening, and improvement technologies to substrate conversion alone but broadened to biocontrol can offer promising candidates for biotechnology and health- of quorum-sensing-dependent phytopathogens, as mediated related applications. by acyl-homoserine-lactone-degrading enzymes from endo- phytic actinomycetes. Neelu Nawani Unexplored environments often appeal to researchers Bertrand Aigle inthehopeofaccruingnovelbacteria,acontinuousquest Abul Mandal which has actually led to discovery of unusually industrious Manish Bodas microbes. Antimicrobial potential of actinobacteria isolated Sofiane Ghorbel from the integument of Trachymyrmex fungus-growing ants Divya Prakash Hindawi Publishing Corporation BioMed Research International Volume 2013, Article ID 264020, 8 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/264020 Review Article Actinomycetes: A Repertory of Green Catalysts with a Potential Revenue Resource Divya Prakash,1 Neelu Nawani,1 Mansi Prakash,1 Manish Bodas,1 Abul Mandal,2 Madhukar Khetmalas,1 and Balasaheb Kapadnis3 1 Dr. D. Y Patil Biotechnology & Bioinformatics Institute, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune 411 033, India 2 System Biology Research Center, School of Life Sciences, University of Skovde,¨ P.O. Box 408, 541 28 Skovde,¨ Sweden 3 Department of Microbiology, University of Pune, Pune 411 007, India Correspondence should be addressed to Neelu Nawani; [email protected] Received 25 December 2012; Revised 27 March 2013; Accepted 28 March 2013 Academic Editor: Bertrand Aigle Copyright © 2013 Divya Prakash et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Biocatalysis, one of the oldest technologies, is becoming a favorable alternative to chemical processes and a vital part of green technology. It is an important revenue generating industry due to a global market projected at $7 billion in 2013 with a growth of 6.7% for enzymes alone. Some microbes are important sources of enzymes and are preferred over sources of plant and animal origin. As a result, more than 50% of the industrial enzymes are obtained from bacteria. The constant search for novel enzymes with robust characteristics has led to improvisations in the industrial processes, which is the key for profit growth. Actinomycetes constitute a significant component of the microbial population in most soils and can produce extracellular enzymes which can decompose various materials. Their enzymes are more attractive than enzymes from other sources because of their high stability and unusual substrate specificity. Actinomycetes found in extreme habitats produce novel enzymes with huge commercial potential. This review attempts to highlight the global importance of enzymes and extends to signify actinomycetes as promising harbingers of green technology. 1. Introduction Commercially available enzymes are derived from plants, animals, and microorganisms. The enzymes derived from Biocatalysis offers green and clean solutions to chemical plants include papain, bromelain, ficin, lipooxygenase, processes and is emerging as a challenging and reverred among several others [2], and those derived from animal alternative to chemical technology. The chemical processes sources include pepsin and renin. However, a major fraction are now carried out biologically by biocatalysts (enzymes)