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A Comprehensive Review of the Diversity of Fungal Secondary Metabolites and Their Emerging Applications in Healthcare and Environment

Summary

Fungi naturally produce complex chemical compounds called secondary metabolites that have powerful effects against diseases and pests. These include well-known medicines like penicillin and compounds that can fight cancer, reduce inflammation, and lower cholesterol. Scientists are now using advanced genetic and biotechnology techniques to increase production of these fungal compounds, making them more available and affordable for medical, agricultural, and environmental applications. This research shows how fungi could be important sources of new medicines and sustainable alternatives to synthetic chemicals.

Background

Fungi produce diverse secondary metabolites (SMs) including terpenoids, alkaloids, polyketides, and non-ribosomal peptides that possess significant biological activity. These metabolites have historically been important for human healthcare, exemplified by the discovery of penicillin from Penicillium notatum. Fungal SMs are now widely explored for applications in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, environmental remediation, and biotechnology industries.

Objective

To comprehensively review the diversity of fungal secondary metabolites, their biosynthesis pathways, regulatory mechanisms, and emerging applications in healthcare, agriculture, environmental sustainability, and nutraceuticals. The review emphasizes recent advancements in genetic engineering, synthetic biology, fermentation technologies, and omics approaches for enhanced SM production and novel applications.

Results

The review identified four main classes of fungal SMs: terpenoids, polyketides, non-ribosomal peptides, and alkaloids, each with distinct biological activities and applications. Key findings include the role of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), regulatory proteins (LaeA, velvet complex), and environmental factors in SM production. Biotechnological advances including genetic engineering, fermentation optimization, synthetic biology, and co-cultivation approaches have significantly enhanced SM production yields.

Conclusion

Fungal secondary metabolites represent a rich source of bioactive compounds with diverse applications in healthcare, agriculture, and environmental sustainability. Advances in genetic engineering, metabolic pathway manipulation, and synthetic biology enable increased production and discovery of novel metabolites. Integration of omics technologies and biotechnological innovations provides new opportunities for commercial exploitation of fungal SMs for pharmaceutical, agricultural, and environmental benefits.
  • Published in:Mycobiology,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: PMID: 39845176, doi: 10.1080/12298093.2024.2416736
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