Exploring Marine Bacterial Secondary Metabolites: Rich Reservoirs of Exceptional and Potent Antimicrobial Agents

Abstract

Marine natural products (MNPs) showcase a broad spectrum of significant bioactivities, spanning anticancer, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. In addition to marine microbes like algae, sponges, marine fungi and bacteria, in particular, has demonstrated the capacity to generate innovative secondary metabolites (SMs) characterized by unique and distinct chemical structural diversity. These unique compounds represent significant candidates for the advancement of new drugs or drug leads. Numerous studies have highlighted the importance of marine microbial secondary metabolites, with many possessing significant pharmacological activity. These compounds hold great promise in the development of potent antimicrobial drugs aimed at addressing infections caused by drug-resistant pathogens. Despite being relatively underexplored, marine organisms are now experiencing advancements in sampling techniques, genomic data availability, molecular biology methodologies, synthetic organic chemistry progress, and computational tools, with artificial intelligence. These developments are enhancing our ability to study and harness the potential of marine life for various applications. This review examines the landscape of these compounds, and their potential applications in combating microbial infections and highlights the contemporary techniques for screening marine drugs.