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Marine Actinomycetes Associated with Stony Corals: A Potential Hotspot for Specialized Metabolites

Summary

This research explores how bacteria found in stony corals could be a valuable source of new antibiotics and other medicines. Scientists discovered that certain bacteria called actinomycetes living in coral reefs produce unique compounds that can fight harmful microbes and potentially treat diseases. The study’s impact on everyday life includes: • New sources of antibiotics to fight drug-resistant infections • Potential new treatments for cancer and other diseases • Protection of coral reef ecosystems through better understanding of coral-bacteria relationships • Economic opportunities for Pacific island nations with pristine coral reefs • Sustainable ways to discover new medicines without damaging marine environments

Background

Microbial secondary metabolites are a crucial source of antibiotics for fighting drug-resistant pathogens. Actinobacteria have large genomes containing genes that code for various bioactive metabolites and enzymes. While millions of actinomycete strains have been isolated from different habitats, corals represent an untapped potential source of novel secondary metabolites. However, knowledge about marine actinomycetes associated with hard corals remains limited.

Objective

This review aims to summarize recent knowledge on the isolation, diversity, distribution and discovery of natural compounds from marine actinomycetes associated with hard corals. It examines new species and compounds discovered between 2007-2022.

Results

The review identified 11 new species of actinomycetes representing nine different families recovered from hard corals between 2007-2022. Additionally, 13 new compounds produced by five genera of actinomycetes were reported between 2017-2022, showing antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic activities. The compounds belonged to different chemical classes including alkanoilimidazoles, alkaloids, keto fatty acids, macrolides, spirotetronate, anthracycline, tirandamycin and polyketide.

Conclusion

A wide range of actinomycetes have been isolated from scleractinian corals with diverse bioactivities. The coral-derived actinomycetes and specialized metabolites isolated so far represent only a small part of their immense diversity. More research targeting coral actinomycetes with improved selective isolation approaches is needed. Pacific island countries with pristine coral environments represent an unlimited source of potential new bioactive compounds from actinobacteria.
  • Published in:Microorganisms,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.3390/microorganisms10071349
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