streptomyces

[ strep-tuh-mahy-seez ]

noun

, Bacteriology.

, plural strep·to·my·ces.

1. any of several aerobic bacteria of the genus Streptomyces, certain species of which produce antibiotics.

Word History and Origins

Origin of streptomyces¹

< New Latin (1943), equivalent to strepto- strepto- + Greek mýkēs mushroom, fungus

Example Sentences

Researchers have discovered toxic protein particles, shaped like umbrellas, that soil bacteria known as Streptomyces secrete to squelch competitors, especially others of their own species.

From Science Daily

Streptomyces' chemical weaponry against their competitors is one of the richest sources of such molecules.

From Science Daily

What makes these newly detected antibacterial toxins different is that, unlike the Streptomyces' small-molecule antibiotics, umbrella toxins are large complexes composed of multiple proteins.

From Science Daily

The authors of the Nature paper speculate that these properties of umbrella toxins explain why they escaped discovery for more than 100 years of research on toxins produced by Streptomyces.

From Science Daily

Among these potential adversaries, the toxins specifically targeted their own brethren: other Streptomyces species.

From Science Daily