Accumulation and utilization of polysaccharide by hot-spring phototrophs during a light-dark transition

Abstract One hundred and sixty-four strains of myxobacteria were isolated from soil collected in the British Isles and tested for their antimicrobial activity. The organisms were indentified as belonging to the genera Corallococcus, Cystobacter and Myxococcus with smaller numbers of Archangium, Sorangium and Stigmatella . The majority of the isolates showed antimicrobial activity when overlaid with agar inoculated with test organisms and 77% inhibited Micrococcus luteus and 23% Botrytis cinerea . The activity was shown to be due to antibiotics excreted into the medium and soluble in chloroform. The results are discussed in relation to the importance of myxobacteria in soil ecology.