Question

What are actinomycetes? Are they fungi or bacteria?

Answer 1

Actinomycetes:

1. Actinomycetes are filamentous, multicellular, gram-positive, anaerobic bacteria.
2. Their cells divide and grow like the fungal hyphae hence also called Ray Fungi.
3. The earthy smell of the soil is due to the activities that are done by actinomycetes in soil when the fresh layer of soil is turned up.
4. They can be found in both freshwater and marine environments.
5. Actinomycetes are a group of bacteria that share some common characteristics with fungi and in the eye can cause similar diseases to fungi.
6. Example includes Actinomyces meyeri, Actinomyces israelii, Streptomyces coelicolo, Nocardia brasiliensis.