Recent developments and future prospects of antimicrobial metabolites produced by endophytes

Abstract

Endophytes, found ubiquitous in all plant species in the world, contribute to their host plants by producing plenty of substances that provide protection and ultimately survival value to the plant. Many researches have proven that endophyte is a new and potential source of novel natural products for exploitation in modern medicine, agriculture and industry. So far, a great number of novel natural products possessing antimicrobial activities have been isolated from endophytes. It is believed that screening for antimicrobial compounds from endophytes is a promising way to overcome the increasing threat of drug resistant strains of human and plant pathogen. Antimicrobial metabolites isolated from endophytes belong to diverse structural classes, including: alkaloids, peptides, steroids, terpenoids, phenols, quinones, and flavonoids. In this review, many well-studied areas are presented and examples will be given to discuss the structure of compounds isolated from endophytes extracts with antimicrobial activities and show the wide variety of approaches taken within the field. These achievements would provide the opportunity to utilize endophytes as a new source for production of antibiotics.

Endophytic actinomycetes: promising source of novel bioactive compounds

“…11,12,14 It is widely believed that the potential of secondary metabolites with biological activities from endophytic actinomycetes is just as great as that achieved from soil actinomycetes. [16][17][18][19][20] As results of our exploration, we have already found several novel compounds from endophytic actinomycetes. In a similar vein, many new genera of actinomycetes, such as Allonocardiopsis from the fruit of a medical plant, 21 Actinophytocola from Thai glutinous roots of rice plants, 22 Plantactinospora from root of a medical plant, 23 had been discovered and promising endophytes with unknown function may arise from plants.…”

Antimicrobial Activity of Isolated Bacterial Endophytes from Cichorium intybus L, Pelargonium hortorum, and Portulaca oleracea Against Human Nosocomial Bacterial Pathogens

“…The antibacterial activity of the extract of this herb is also reported elsewhere (16). In view of the ever-increasing demand for novel antimicrobial substances, the endophytes identified in examined medicinal plants could be new candidates for a potential source of new antibiotics (3).…”

“…They also are known to enhance the growth and development of host plants. The scientific community has become interested in bioprospecting these microorganisms for their potentially important secondary metabolite production, in particular for application in the pharmaceutical and food industries (3). The question is whether these substances are produced by the plant itself or as a consequence of a mutual relationship with beneficial organisms in their tissue.…”

Endophytes isolated from passion fruit plants: molecular identification, chemical characterization and antibacterial activity of secondary metabolites

“…These microorganisms establish a symbiotic relationship with the host plant, in which the fungus obtains nutrients and shelter, while the plant receives protection against pathogens and insect-pests (Giménez et al, 2007;Alvin et al, 2014). Endophytes constitute a novel source of bioactive substances that may be employed in different biotechnological industries , including aliphatic compounds, alkaloids, flavonoids, peptides, phenols, quinones, steroids and terpenoids with antimicrobial properties, reviewed by Yu et al (2010). So that the biotechnological properties of these fungi could be expanded, current study establishes the chemical characteristics of the secondary metabolites produced by two endophytes isolated and molecularly identified from passion fruit plants and reports their antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella typhi and Streptococcus pyogenes.…”