Significance and potential of marine microbial natural bioactive compounds against biofilms/biofouling: necessity for green chemistry

Abstract

Natural products from the unique environments of sea water and oceans represent a largely unfamiliar source for isolation of new microbes, which are potent producers of secondary bioactive metabolites. These unique life-forms from the marine ecosphere have served as an important source of drugs since ancient times and still offer a valuable resource for novel findings by providing remedial treatments. Therefore, it can be expected that many naturally bioactive marine microbial compounds with novel structures and bioactivities against those from terrestrial environments may be found among marine metabolites. Biofilms in aquatic environment possess serious problems to naval forces and oceanic industries around the globe. Current anti-biofilm or anti-biofouling technology is based on the use of toxic substances that can be harmful to their surrounding natural locales. Comprehensive research has been done to examine the bioactive potential of marine microbes. Results are remarkably varied and dynamic, but there is an urgent need for bioactive compounds with environmentally friendly or “green” chemical activities. Marine microbes have the potential as upcoming and promising source of non-toxic compounds with sustainable anti-biofouling/anti-biofilm properties as they can produce substances that can inhibit not only the chemical components required for biofilm production but also the attachment, microorganism growth, and/or cell–cell communication.

Fish-Based Bioactives as Potent Nutraceuticals: Exploring the Therapeutic Perspective of Sustainable Food from the Sea

“…The word "bioactive" is derived from the Greek and Latin words "life" and "dynamic", full of energy, or involved in an activity [33,34]. Fish, which is an inimitable fusion of bioactive compounds like long-chain PUFAs (EPA and DHA), omega-3 PUFAs, peptides, protein hydrolysates, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, gelatin, collagen, fish oil, fish bone as well as fat-soluble vitamins, makes it an important source of nutraceuticals [34].…”

The Usefulness of Microalgae Compounds for Preventing Biofilm Infections

“…[37,57]. Several types of polysaccharides such as homo-galactose, glucose, xylose, rhamnose, fucose and fructose showing antibacterial, antitumor, and antiviral properties can be extracted using "green" extraction techniques from the microalgae Gymnodinium pudicum and Chorella vulgaris [58][59][60].…”

Genome sequence and transcriptomic profiles of a marine bacterium, Pseudoalteromonas agarivorans Hao 2018

“…Marine bacteria can colonize external envelopes and/or enter internal tissues of marine plants and animals; certain bacteria can establish highly symbiotic relationships with their specific host organisms 2 . Considering that marine bacteria inhabit a wide range of niches with pervasive and dynamic chemical and physical gradients, they use various mechanisms for physiological adaptations, such as osmolyte accumulation, unique structures of biomacromolecules, and production of natural bioactive metabolites and exopolysaccharides 3 . These distinctive properties of marine bacteria have attracted interest since they have potential for use in industry, including in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agrichemicals, nutritional supplements, molecular probes, metabolites/compounds, enzymes and fine chemicals 4–6 .…”