Skip to main content
Log in

Actinomycetes isolated from beehives in Thailand

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Actinomycetes are one of the main microbial groups that produce bioactive compounds used as antibiotics. Although bacteria, mold and yeast have frequently been found in bees, the presence of actinomycetes in bee hives had not been previously identified or reported. The aim of our research was to focus on the diversity of actinomycetes in bee hives in Thailand. Bees, brood cells and hive materials were collected from apiaries and natural sources. Thirty-two isolates of actinomycetes were isolated and identified using morphological, physiological, chemical and molecular characterization. Most of the isolates belonged to the genus Streptomyces. Some less frequent isolates were classified in the genera Nonomuraea, Nocardiopsis and Actinomadura.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

References

  • Bourtzis K, Miller TA (2003) Insect symbiosis. CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Cafaro M, Currie C (2005) Phylogenetic analysis of mutualistic filamentous bacteria associated with fungus-growing ants. Can J Microbiol 51:441–446. doi:10.1139/w05-023

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Currie CR, Scott JA, Summerbell RC, Malloch D (1999) Fungus-growing ants use antibiotic-producing bacteria to control the garden parasites. Nature 398:701–704. doi:10.1038/19519

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gilliam M (1997) Identification and roles of non-pathogenic microflora associated with honey bees. FEMS Microbiol Lett 155:1–10

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gilliam M, Morton HL (1978) Bacteria belonging to the genus Bacillus isolated from honey bees, Apis mellifera, fed 2, 4-D and antibiotics. Apidologie (Celle) 9:213–222. doi:10.1051/apido:19780305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilliam M, Buchmann SL, Lorenz BJ (1984) Microbial flora of the larval provisions of the solitary bees, Centris pallida and Anthophora sp. Apidologie (Celle) 15:1–10. doi:10.1051/apido:19840101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilliam M, Buchmann SL, Lorenz BJ, Roubik DW (1985) Microbiology of the larval provisions of the stingless bee, Trigona hypogea, an obligate necrophage. Biotropica 17:28–31. doi:10.2307/2388374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilliam M, Roubik DW, Lorenz BJ (1990a) Microorganism associated with pollen, honey and brood provisions in the nest of stingless bee, Melipona fasciata. Apidologie (Celle) 21:89–97. doi:10.1051/apido:19900201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilliam M, Buchmann SL, Lorenz BJ, Schmalzel RJ (1990b) Bacteria belonging to the genus Bacillus associated with three species of solitary bees. Apidologie (Celle) 21:99–105. doi:10.1051/apido:19900202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goerzen DW (1991) Microflora associated with the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata (Fab) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in Saskatchewan, Canada. Apidologie (Celle) 22:553–561. doi:10.1051/apido:19910508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodfellow M, Williams ST (1983) Ecology of actinomycetes. Annu Rev Microbiol 37:189–216. doi:10.1146/annurev.mi.37.100183.001201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hardham AR, Gubler F, Duniec J, Elliot J (1991) A review of methods for the production and use of monoclonal antibodies to study zoosporic plant pathogens. J Microsc 162:305–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Inglis GD, Sigler L, Goette MS (1993) Aerobic microorganisms associated with alfalfa leafcutter bees Megachile rotundata. Microb Ecol 26:125–143. doi:10.1007/BF00177048

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson E, Granville WC, Foss CE (1948) Color harmony manual, vol 4. Container Corporation of America, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaltenpoth M, Goettler W, Herzner G, Strohm E (2005) Symbiotic bacteria protect wasp larvae from fungal infestation. Curr Biol 15:475–479

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klepzig KD, Adams AS, Handelsman J, Raffa KF (2009) Symbioses: a key driver of insect physiological processes, ecological interactions, evolutionary diversification, and impacts on humans. Environ Entomol 38:67–77. doi:10.1603/022.038.0109

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Küster E (1959) Outline of a comparative study of criteria used in characterization of the actinomycetes. Int Bull Bacteriol Nomencl Taxon 9:57–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Küster E, Williams ST (1964) Selection of media for isolation of streptomycetes. Nature 202:928–929. doi:10.1038/202928a0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lechevalier H (1992) Actinomycetes and their products: a look at the future. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 8:72–73. doi:10.1007/BF02421498

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohr KI, Tabbe CC (2006) Diversity and phylotype consistency of bacteria in the guts of three bee species (Apoidea) at an oilseed rape field. Environ Microbiol 8:258–272. doi:10.1111/j.1462-2920.2005.00893.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakajima Y, Kitpreechavanich V, Suzuki K, Kudo T (1999) Microbispora coralline sp. nov., a new species of the genus Microbispora isolated from Thai soil. Int J Syst Bacteriol 49:1761–1767

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pathom-aree W, Stach JEM, Ward AC, Horikoshi K, Bull AT, Goodfellow M (2006) Diversity of actinomycetes isolated from challenger deep sediment (10, 898 m) from the Mariana Trench. Extremophiles 10:181–189. doi:10.1007/s00792-005-0482-z

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Piccini C, Antunez K, Zunino P (2004) An approach to the characterization of the honey bee hive bacterial flora. J Apic Res 43:101–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Pridham TG, Anderson P, Foley C, Lindenfelser H, Hesseltine CW, Benedict RG (1956–1957) A selection of media for maintenance and taxonomic study of streptomycetes. Antibiot Annu 1956(57):947–953

    Google Scholar 

  • Rada V, Machova M, Huk J, Marounek M, Duskova D (1997) Microflora in the honeybee digestive tract: count, characteristics and sensitivity to veterinary drugs. Apidologie (Celle) 28:357–365. doi:10.1051/apido:19970603

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shirling EB, Gottlieb D (1966) Methods for characterization of Streptomyces species. Int J Syst Bacteriol 16:313–340

    Google Scholar 

  • Staneck JL, Roberts GD (1974) Simplified approach to identification of aerobic actinomycetes by thin-layer chromatography. Appl Microbiol 28:226–231

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson JD, Gibson TJ, Plewniak F, Jeanmougin F, Higgins DG (1997) The CLUSTAL _X windows interface: flexible strategies for multiple sequence alignment aided by quality analysis tools. Nucleic Acids Res 25:4876–4882. doi:10.1093/nar/25.24.4876

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was granted by the Commission on Higher Education granting Miss Yaowanoot Promnuan was supported for CHE-PHD-THA from the commission on Higher Education and Thailand Research Fund (RMU4980010). We would like to thank Drs. W. Pathom-aree and S. Namwong for their advices, and Dr. A. Sawadtham for her kind help in identification of stingless bees.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Panuwan Chantawannakul.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Promnuan, Y., Kudo, T. & Chantawannakul, P. Actinomycetes isolated from beehives in Thailand. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 25, 1685–1689 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-009-0051-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-009-0051-1

Keywords

Navigation