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The Family Nannocystaceae

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The Prokaryotes

Abstract

Nannocystaceae belong to the suborder Nannocystineae in order Myxococcales and comprise two marine-derived genera Plesiocystis and Enhygromyxa, an estuarine Pseudenhygromyxa, and a terrestrial genus Nannocystis. To date, only five species have been validly described in this family. Members of the Nannocystaceae appear more ecologically diverse than other families of myxobacteria as they are widely distributed in the environment. Most members of this family are regarded halotolerant and halophilic organisms capable of degrading complex macromolecules and lysing microorganisms. One of the most remarkable characteristic of this family, shared with Haliangiaceae and Kofleriaceae, is the absence of hydroxy-type fatty acids, also a distinguishing landmark of the suborder Nannocystineae. This family is recognized for the production of long-chained polyunsaturated fatty acids and unusual steroids, although a large number of Nannocystaceae were isolated to date, mostly comprising Nannocystis, and very little is known about their secondary metabolites. However, the marine-derived members of this family turn out to be interesting producers of some novel biologically active compounds. Several of these strains are sequenced in ongoing genome projects to unfold genes responsible for their biological lifestyle and to allow studies aiming at the discovery of complex enzymes. Metagenomics data from both terrestrial and marine environment suggest that currently most of the members of this family remain not cultivated. Therefore, unraveling and exploiting these sources in the future hold promise for drug discovery programs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbial Natural Products, Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland – Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Saarland University, Saarland University Campus, 15 11 50, 66041, Saarbrücken, Germany

    Ronald Garcia & Rolf Müller

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  1. Ronald Garcia
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  2. Rolf Müller
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Correspondence to Ronald Garcia .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Eugene Rosenberg

  2. Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Edward F. DeLong

  3. Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, University of Hawaii, Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Edward F. DeLong

  4. Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Stephen Lory

  5. Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany

    Erko Stackebrandt

  6. Laboratory of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Fabiano Thompson

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Garcia, R., Müller, R. (2014). The Family Nannocystaceae. In: Rosenberg, E., DeLong, E.F., Lory, S., Stackebrandt, E., Thompson, F. (eds) The Prokaryotes. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39044-9_305

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