Abstract
Total 276 soil actinomycete strains were isolated from 46 soil samples collected at domestic natural caves; the Kosu, Chundong, and Nodong caves at Chungbook province, the Kossi cave at Kangwon province, the Sungruye cave at Kyungbook province, the Hyupjae, Ssangyong, and Manjang caves at Cheju province. All of these isolates were identified to the genus level based on morphological and physiological characteristics. As the result, 52.5% of those isolates were Streptomyces, 16.3% were Micromonospora, 22.8% were Nocardioform group, 1.1% were Actinomadura, 0.3% were Nocardiopsis, 0.3% were Streptosporangium, 0.3% were Nocardioides, 1.4% were Kineosporia, 4.7% were the others. Streptomycete strains were the most abundant, but were relatively less comparing to general distribution pattern. Nocardioform and Micromonospora strains were quite abundant, and other rare actinomycete groups were somewhat abundant comparing to general distribution pattern previously reported. Especially Nocardioform strains were highly abundant at almost of the natural caves.