Marine actinomycetes: An endless source of potentially therapeutic novel secondary metabolites and other bioactive compounds

Abstract

Actinomycetes provide a potentially limitless source of novel bioactive compound, possessing a wide range of potential therapeutic uses. Around 25,000 microbial secondary metabolites have been recognized; actinomycetes produce some 75%, of them, with fungi yielding 15%, Bacillus spp. 6%, and other bacteria producing around 1–3%. Species of Streptomyces provide 50–60 percent of the known antibiotics. Over the last seventy or so years, a vast array of microorganisms has been isolated from soils and other readily accessible environments and the screened for antibiotics. Such screening programs have significantly reduced the likelihood that novel antimicrobial compounds, particularly active against drug resistant species, will now be found. Fortunately, unusual marine environments may act as a future source of actinomycetes and other microorganisms capable of producing new secondary metabolite possessing antifungal, antibacterial, anticancer, insecticidal, enzyme inhibitory and other therapeutic properties. The aim of this review is to highlight marine actinomycetes as a novel source of such potentially critical novel antibiotic and bioactive compounds.

Keywords

• Bioactive compounds
• Antibiotic
• Marine Actinomycetes