It is proposed that fruiting myxobacteria is the richest source of secondary metabolites among other type of bacteria. (Reichenbach,1998). Over 300 strains of myxobacteria have been shown to produce various antibiotics which one single strain is capable of producing different types of antibiotics. (Dworkin, et al., 2006). Myxobacteria is also one of the microbes regarded as one of the main sources of the building blocks compounds which are now commonly used and applied in pharmaceutical, industrial and agrochemical aspects. (Grabley and Thiericke, 1999).

 

 

PHARMACEUTICAL

 

• One of the antibiotics that is potential for clinical usage is epothilone that has similar mechanism with the anti-tumour drug Taxol (Dworkin, 2007). Taxol interfere with tubulin cytoskeleton which are responsible for transport event and chromosome separation during nuclear division.

 

• Anti-cancers compound production such as Rhizopodin which causes the reorganization of F-actin and compound Chondramid which stabilised F-actin and induce apoptosis.

 

• Production of antibiotic TA, a typical bacteriolytic enzyme which able to kill many types of bacteria including human pathogens such as S. aureus and E. coli (Dworkin, et al., 2006). This antibiotic is also suggested to be identical to variants of myxovirescin, a complex compound which is a good lead in research involving treatment of gingivitis in human (Dworkin, et al., 2006).

 

• Other examples of Myxobacteria secondary metabolites are terpenes from isoprenoid moieties, polyketides which are assembled from short chain carboxylic acid precursors or complex peptides. These compounds are important as they are antibacterials, antivirals and antitumor compounds, and also have immunosuppressant, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, antimalarial and antihypercholesterolemic properties which are beneficial for human health (Grabley and Thiericke, 1999).

 

 

 

AGRICULTURAL

 

Some of the these bioactive compounds are shown to be able to control plant diseases and can be used effectively for agricultural means.

• Thiangazol produced by Polyangium acts as antibiotics whereby the compound inhibits the NADH–ubiquinone reductase enzyme which is an important enzyme in respiration and ATP synthesis (Richard, et al., 2010) 

• Tartrolon, produced by strain So ce678 Sorangium cellulosum inhibits the growth of Gram-positive bacteria (Richard, et al., 2010).

• Soraphen, produced by Sorangium cellulosum has an antifungal effects as it has inhibitor of fungal acetyl Co-A-carboxylase but does not affect plant enzymes. The result from the research from development project  of this compound shows that for can be used as crop protection drug. However, it has negative effects on animals and therefore its development has to be given up (Richard, et al., 2010) .

• Chivosazol, produced by strain So ce2 Sorangium cellulosum, acts on eukaryotes and has fungicidal effects although the mechanism of actions are not yet fully understood (Richard, et al., 2010) .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ISOLATION

 

• Using rabbit dung

The rabbit dung was steam-sterilised and the immersed in a solution of actidione before it was put on a moist soil which was initially prepared in a petri dish. The petri dish is incubated for one week.

 

• Using soils from different geographical areas: riverside and seaside using bacterial smear

Cells of Brevibacterium lactofermentum ATCC 13869 is commonly used. Small samples of soils or plant material i.e tree bark were placed on the wet bacterial cells on plain agar. Formation of fruiting bodies is then investigated.

 

• Using filter paper.

Soils or plant materials samples were put on a piece filter paper which was prepared on modified STANIER’s agar. Fruiting bodies formation is then investigated.

 

• Using agar method.

Small sample of soil or plant material were spread on SP agar medium. Formation of fruiting bodies is the investigated.

 

 

 

PURIFICATION

 

• By scraping out the fruiting bodies that have been identified using platinum needle and transferring it to SP medium agar. If the fruiting body is of rigid type, it is then transferred into saline solution with glass beads in a test tube and macerated. The suspension obtained is plated and transferred to same agar medium. To ensure that pure culture of isolate is obtained, this process is repeated for several times (Shigeru, Y. et al., 1987).