Copper mining in Streptomyces: enzymes, natural products and development

The actinobacteria of the genus Streptomyces are of immense importance to both ecological and human welfare. They produce a large number of enzymes and compounds such as antibiotics that have attracted the interest of industry over recent decades, resulting in their commercial manufacture and application in many products. Furthermore, Streptomyces is one of the model systems for bacterial morphological and physiological development. A role for copper proteins and enzymes in the morphological development and in the production of certain secondary metabolites in Streptomyces species has been known for some time. This review summarizes the copper proteins and enzymes identified so far in Streptomyces species, and highlights our current knowledge of the roles some of these proteins play in morphological development and secondary metabolite production. © 2010 The Royal Society of Chemistry.