Streptomyces is a genus of Actinobacteria, a group of Gram-positive and generally high GC-content bacteria. Streptomycetes are found predominantly in soil and in decaying vegetation, and most produce spores. Streptomycetes are noted for their distinct "earthy" odor.

Streptomycetes are characterised by a complex secondary metabolism. They produce a large number of antibiotics that are in clinical use; the now rarely used Streptomycin takes its name directly from Streptomyces. Streptomycetes are infrequent human pathogens, though infections such as mycetoma can be caused by S. somaliensis.

The complete genome of one of the strain, S. coelicolor A3(2), was published in 2002. At that time, it contained the largest number of genes of any bacterium characterised so far. The genome sequence of S. avermitilis was completed in 2003. This is the first complete genome sequence of the industrial microorganism. Another unique characteristic is that their chromosomes are linear instead of circular.

S. coelicolor A3(2) taxonomically belongs to S. violaceoruber. Don't mistake S. coelicolor A3(2) for S. coelicolor (Müller) (ATCC 23899).

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