Current Trends in Actinobacterial Systematics

Dear colleagues,

Systematics encompasses the three related scientific disciplines of classification, nomenclature and identification, all of which underpin many facts of microbiology. Actinobacteria are a unique source of bioactive compounds of agricultural, industrial and medical importance, though some of them are serious pathogens of plants and animals, including humans, and others have a key role in the turnover of organic matter in natural habitats. The application of polyphasic taxonomy, notably, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, has led to significant improvements in actinobacterial systematics, though phylogenies based on single genes do not distinguish between closely related species. In contrast, whole-genome sequences can be used to generate phylogenomic trees which do separate closely related taxa and also provide genomic data of taxonomic value, such as improved matrices for the detection of generic, species and subspecies boundaries. Improved classifications of Actinobacteria based on taxo-genomic approaches are valuable in their own right but also provide crucial frameworks for the recognition of previously unknown actinobacteria that abound in natural habitats, thereby providing an insight into their ecological roles.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide an up-to-date survey of the current state of actinobacterial diversity within the context of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes. Manuscripts describing novel taxa of ecological and biotechnological significance will be of particular interest, as well studies based on novel approaches such as analytical chemical procedures.

Dr. Imen Nouioui
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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