ACTINOMYCETES ISOLATED FROM SOIL SAMPLES FROM THE

A diversity of actinomycetes was isolated from various sites of top soils throughout the Crocker Range in Sabah. The soils were mainly collected during the expedition (15—25 October 1999) together with 2 soil samples collected on 28 November 1999 under Rafflesia keithii in the Rafflesia Reserve Forest, Gunung Mas. A total of 78 strains of actinomycetes, probably mostly Streptomyces, were obtained from different sites. Amongst these strains 20 have been aerobically grown in shaking liquid cultures. Acetone extracts of these cultures were screened for MAPK Kinase and MAP Kinase Phosphatase in a yeast system in the preliminary screening of novel cancer drugs. This screening system is based on the fact that the MAP kinase pathway is homologues from yeast to human. However, no such inhibitors were found. A few strains with pigmentation were collected from specific locations