Manganyi Madira Coutlyne, Ateba Collins Njie
Department of Microbiology, North West University Mafikeng Campus, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa.
Food Security and Safety Niche Area, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, North West University, Mmabatho, Mafikeng 2735, South Africa.
Microorganisms. 2020 Dec 6;8(12):1934. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms8121934.
Over the last century, endophytic fungi have gained tremendous attention due to their ability to produce novel bioactive compounds exhibiting varied biological properties and are, therefore, utilized for medicinal, pharmaceutical, and agricultural applications. Endophytic fungi reside within the plant tissues without showing any disease symptoms, thus supporting the physiological and ecological attributes of the host plant. Ground breaking lead compounds, such as paclitaxel and penicillin, produced by endophytic fungi have paved the way for exploring novel bioactive compounds for commercial usage. Despite this, limited research has been conducted in this valuable and unique niche area. These bioactive compounds belong to various structural groups, including alkaloids, peptides, steroids, terpenoids, phenols, quinones, phenols, and flavonoids. The current review focuses on the significance of endophytic fungi in producing novel bioactive compounds possessing a variety of biological properties that include antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antiparasitic, antioxidant, immunosuppressant, and anticancer functions. Taking into consideration the portal of this publication, special emphasis is placed on the antimicrobial and antiviral activities of metabolites produced by endophytes against human pathogens. It also highlights the importance of utilization of these compounds as potential treatment agents for serious life-threatening infectious diseases. This is supported by the fact that several findings have indicated that these bioactive compounds may significantly contribute towards the fight against resistant human and plant pathogens, thus motivating the need enhance the search for new, more efficacious and cost-effective antimicrobial drugs.
在过去的一个世纪里，内生真菌因其能够产生具有多种生物学特性的新型生物活性化合物而备受关注，因此被用于医药、制药和农业领域。内生真菌寄生于植物组织内而不表现出任何疾病症状，从而支持宿主植物的生理和生态特性。内生真菌产生的开创性先导化合物，如紫杉醇和青霉素，为探索新型生物活性化合物的商业用途铺平了道路。尽管如此，在这个宝贵而独特的生态位领域所开展的研究仍然有限。这些生物活性化合物属于各种结构类别，包括生物碱、肽、类固醇、萜类化合物、酚类、醌类、酚类和黄酮类。本综述重点关注内生真菌在产生具有多种生物学特性的新型生物活性化合物方面的重要性，这些特性包括抗菌、抗病毒、抗真菌、抗原生动物、抗寄生虫、抗氧化、免疫抑制和抗癌功能。考虑到本出版物的主题，特别强调内生菌产生的代谢产物对人类病原体的抗菌和抗病毒活性。它还强调了利用这些化合物作为严重危及生命的传染病潜在治疗剂的重要性。这一观点得到了以下事实的支持：多项研究结果表明，这些生物活性化合物可能对对抗耐药的人类和植物病原体做出重大贡献，从而激发了人们加强寻找新的、更有效且更具成本效益的抗菌药物的需求。
