171
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2017
S. Sugathan et al. (eds.), Bioresources and Bioprocess in Biotechnology,
DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-4284-3_7
V.M. Dan (*)
Microbiology Division, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute,
Palode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695562, India
e-mail: vipindan@yahoo.co.in
R. Sanawar
Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology,
Jagathy, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695014, India
7
Anti Cancer Agents from Microbes
Vipin Mohan Dan and Rahul Sanawar
Abstract
Microbial diversity has a pivotal role in discovering antibiotics and anticancer
agents. Anticancer drug discovery has seen a lot of technological development in
the last few years. Screening for cancer drugs has moved forward from the traditional cell-based screening that looks for antiproliferative effects to specific
approach to scan for molecules that can target prominent proteins or pathways in
cancer. These employed technologies will help to find molecules selective for
cancer cells while avoiding normal cells, thus improving efficacy and selectivity
in cancer therapy. Microbial diversity has a lot to offer in terms of drug discovery. Among the different groups of microorganisms, members of actinomycetes
have provided more number of anticancer compounds and other bioactive metabolites. Symbiotic microorganisms associated with higher marine organisms are
also identified as a potential source of novel anticancer lead compounds.
Metagenomic approaches to screen uncultivable microorganisms also offer a
novel source for the invention of new therapeutic metabolites.
Keywords
Cancer • Microbes • Streptomyces • Anticancer
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2017
S. Sugathan et al. (eds.), Bioresources and Bioprocess in Biotechnology,
DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-4284-3_7
V.M. Dan (*)
Microbiology Division, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute,
Palode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695562, India
e-mail: vipindan@yahoo.co.in
R. Sanawar
Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology,
Jagathy, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695014, India
7
Anti Cancer Agents from Microbes
Vipin Mohan Dan and Rahul Sanawar
Abstract
Microbial diversity has a pivotal role in discovering antibiotics and anticancer
agents. Anticancer drug discovery has seen a lot of technological development in
the last few years. Screening for cancer drugs has moved forward from the traditional cell-based screening that looks for antiproliferative effects to specific
approach to scan for molecules that can target prominent proteins or pathways in
cancer. These employed technologies will help to find molecules selective for
cancer cells while avoiding normal cells, thus improving efficacy and selectivity
in cancer therapy. Microbial diversity has a lot to offer in terms of drug discovery. Among the different groups of microorganisms, members of actinomycetes
have provided more number of anticancer compounds and other bioactive metabolites. Symbiotic microorganisms associated with higher marine organisms are
also identified as a potential source of novel anticancer lead compounds.
Metagenomic approaches to screen uncultivable microorganisms also offer a
novel source for the invention of new therapeutic metabolites.
Keywords
Cancer • Microbes • Streptomyces • Anticancer