Marine Fungi and Their Bioactive Metabolites

Marine fungi constitute a diverse and ubiquitous component of ocean ecosystems, occupying niches from deep-sea sediments to intertidal zones and symbiotic associations with sponges, algae and invertebrates. Their ability to thrive under high pressure, salinity and variable temperatures has driven the evolution of unique metabolic pathways, yielding a rich repertoire of secondary metabolites. These compounds include antibiotics, anticancer agents, antioxidants, immunomodulators and enzyme inhibitors, many of which display novel chemical scaffolds. Advances in high-throughput sequencing and mass spectrometry have accelerated the discovery of biosynthetic gene clusters and clarified the regulatory networks that govern metabolite production. The application of strategies such as the OSMAC (one strain, many compounds) approach, co-cultivation and genome mining has further unveiled cryptic pathways. Beyond pharmaceutical prospects, marine fungal metabolites are emerging in cosmeceutical, agricultural and bioremediation contexts, offering solutions to antimicrobial resistance, crop protection and environmental pollutant degradation. Despite these advances, challenges remain in sustainable compound supply, scale-up and dereplication. Continued exploration of unexplored habitats, integration of omics platforms and synthetic biology hold promise for unlocking the full potential of the marine mycobiome.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Genome sequencing of two marine fungi isolated from a temperate coastal environment has uncovered an extensive array of biosynthetic gene clusters, with 60 clusters in one species and 67 in the other. Remarkably, over 95% of these clusters are novel, highlighting the untapped chemical diversity. Transcriptomic analyses under laboratory conditions revealed that only a subset of clusters is actively expressed, emphasising the need for elicitation strategies to activate silent pathways. Genomic characterisation has also illuminated lifestyle adaptations, including salt tolerance and pressure response, providing a framework for future genetic engineering aimed at optimising metabolite yield.

Marine Fungi and Their Bioactive Metabolites publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in marine fungi and their bioactive metabolites across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Biosynthetic gene cluster: A contiguous set of genes encoding enzymes and regulatory elements responsible for the production of a specific secondary metabolite.

Secondary metabolite: A non-essential small molecule produced by organisms that often mediates ecological interactions and has bioactive properties.

OSMAC (One Strain, Many Compounds): An experimental strategy that varies culture conditions to induce production of different metabolites from a single microbial strain.

Genome mining: The use of bioinformatic tools to predict and identify biosynthetic pathways within genomic data.

Biotransformation: The enzymatic modification of organic compounds by living organisms or isolated enzymes, often used in green chemistry applications.

References

1. Marinobazzanan, a Bazzanane-Type Sesquiterpenoid, Suppresses the Cell Motility and Tumorigenesis in Cancer Cells. Marine Drugs (2023).
2. Marine fungi: A treasure trove of novel natural products and for biological discovery. PLOS Pathogens (2023).
3. Marine-derived fungi as biocatalysts. Frontiers in Microbiology (2023).
4. Genome Sequencing and analyses of Two Marine Fungi from the North Sea Unraveled a Plethora of Novel Biosynthetic Gene Clusters. Scientific Reports (2018).
5. Marine Microbial-Derived Molecules and Their Potential Use in Cosmeceutical and Cosmetic Products. Marine Drugs (2017).
6. Marine-Derived Biocatalysts: Importance, Accessing, and Application in Aromatic Pollutant Bioremediation. Frontiers in Microbiology (2017).
7. Marine Fungi: Opportunities and Challenges. Encyclopedia (2022).