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Sesquiterpenoids Specially Produced by Fungi: Structures, Biological Activities, Chemical and Biosynthesis (2015-2020)

Summary

This research provides a comprehensive overview of specialized chemical compounds called sesquiterpenoids that are produced by fungi. These compounds are important because they can potentially be developed into new medicines. The research impacts everyday life in several ways: • New drug development: Many of these compounds show promise for developing new antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, and anti-inflammatory medications • Food safety: Understanding fungal toxins helps protect our food supply • Agricultural applications: Some compounds could be used to develop new crop protection products • Industrial applications: These compounds could lead to new natural preservatives or antimicrobial agents • Environmental protection: Better understanding of fungal chemistry helps in developing eco-friendly pest control methods

Background

Fungi are widely distributed in terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats, with only about 100,000 classified out of an estimated 5.1 million species worldwide. These eukaryotic microbes produce specialized metabolites and participate in various ecological functions like quorum detection, chemical defense, allelopathy, and symbiosis maintenance. Fungi remain an important resource for screening and discovering biologically active natural products, with sesquiterpenoids being among the richest natural products from plants and microorganisms.

Objective

This review examines the isolation, structural determination, bioactivities, and synthesis of sesquiterpenoids that were specially produced by fungi over the five year period from 2015-2020. The aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of nearly 500 new sesquiterpenes, including about 20 new skeletons identified from fungi during this timeframe.

Results

The review documented nearly 500 new sesquiterpenes including approximately 20 new skeletal types isolated from fungi during 2015-2020. These compounds exhibited diverse biological activities including anti-tumor, anti-viral, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory properties. The structures, biosynthetic origins, and biological activities of 490 sesquiterpenoids were detailed, along with their chemical synthesis where applicable.

Conclusion

Fungal species play a decisive role in bio-transformations and drug synthesis due to their wide varieties, easy cultivation, diverse chemical compositions, and distinct biological activities. Recent advances in microbial genome research and understanding of biosynthetic pathways have accelerated the discovery of novel fungal sesquiterpenoids. This comprehensive review provides a useful reference for researchers studying this category of compounds.
  • Published in:Journal of Fungi,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.3390/jof7121026
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