BISC209: Streptomyces isolation from soil

Streptomyces isolation

Lab 2 Streptomyces is a common and important organism found in soil. It is recommended that you all try to enrich for the isolation of a species of Streptomyces in lab 2. This organism is the original source of many antibiotics used to control human bacterial infections. Generally Cycloheximide is added to the media used to isolate Streptomyces because it inhibits overgrowth by common soil molds. You can use Emerson agar with cycloheximide and/or Oatmeal Agar and/or Glycerol Yeast Agar.

Look for hard white ridged colonies (little volcanoes). The texture is tough and will not be easily transfered. Try prying a small piece off. It is likely that there are tiny spores on the surface of the colony that will transfer to the next plate or tube.