The Grim Reaper of the Soil
Streptomyces griseus may
seem like a nice, tame name for a bacteria but don't let it give
you the wrong idea. This bacteria is dominant in its
environment because of its ability to constantly evolve and to
endlessly bombard its nearby enemies. These drugs we call
antibiotics work as stated, by killing bacteria, which is
exactly what Streptomyces griseus is trying to do. It's
in constant biological warfare with its neighbors to keep the
upper edge.
Our bacteria protects itself from neighbors exactly like these; or in a very vague sense like these pictures. (Provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
But, you might say, "why doesn't the secretions
hurt Streptomyces griseus itself since it also is a bacteria?" And
this is a good point, however, this brings us to the very interesting thing
about antibiotics. Many bacteria species have developed resistances to
certain antibiotics, which is the same in our organism. This poses a huge
issue in the medical scene as we will soon see, but for now just think of it
as a war where Streptomyces species of all types have developed more
secretions over time to target new, resistant bacteria.
Besides this very
lethal interaction with other members of its domain,Streptomyces griseus is
fairly docile, degrading material for its own needs whilst protecting itself
from outside threats with its secretions. This is extremely important since
"Streptomyces are nonmotile, making survival a challenge."
(Johnston) Streptomyces are like fungi and plants in this regard as
well, which is a large disadvantage compared to other bacteria in the soil
that are able to move.
This shows a bacteria that is able to move around its environment, unlike our bacteria of interest. (Provided by MedlinePlus)
As we have discussed here and at some points
earlier, Streptomyces griseus is important for humans in regards to
medicine, and now we will see why!