335
inhibit closely related strains) from psychrophilic organisms, which showed broad
spectrum antibacterial activity (Sanchez et al. 2009, 2010). Various other extreme
habitats including abandoned minewaste disposal sites are being explored in search
of novel organisms and bioactive compounds that could aid in antimicrobial chemotherapy (Garcia-Moyano et al. 2015; Milshteyn et al. 2014).
13.7 Marine Sources
Although only partly explored – due to vastness and complexity – marine sources
of antimicrobials have already become interesting topics of research and clinical
trials. Bioactive compounds from marine flora and fauna have extensive past and
present use in the treatment of many diseases and serve as compounds of interest
both in their natural form and as templates for synthetic modification. The multitude of life forms (oceans host about 87% of life on earth) such as microorganisms, their symbiotic associations, plants, invertebrate animals, etc. offer excellent
opportunity for discovery of more and more novel compounds each day. It is
estimated that at least 30,000 compounds have been isolated from marine organisms within a short span of 15–20 years of active research. Approximately 16,000
marine bioactive compounds have been identified from various types of marine
organisms. Major contributors are sponges, coelenterates, and microorganisms
followed by other sources including algae, echinoderms, and tunicates. Rich
diversity of marine life is reflected in the plethora of antimicrobials isolated from
them. Some of the important compounds are aplasmomycin, himalomycins, pelagiomycins (bacteria), Ara-A, Ara-C, Variabillin (sponges), asperidol, eunicin
(coelenterates), cycloeudesmol, prepacifenol (algae), marinomycins C & D (actinomycetes), etc. (Doshi et al. 2011). Path toward identification of new generation
antimicrobials and making them available for therapeutic use is quite promising
despite discontinuation of some of the compounds due to their inefficiency and/or
toxicity (Schuster et al. 2005).
13.7.1 Marine Flora
Marine flora is composed of unicellular as well as multicellular organisms ranging
from bacteria to flowering plants (Sithranga Boopathy and Kathiresan 2011).
Metabolites and other compounds produced by thousands of species of marine flora
could be utilized for discovery of novel drugs.
Marine actinobacteria in general and the genus Streptomyces in particular are the
best known sources of a variety of compounds of therapeutic interest (Pathom-aree
et al. 2006). Their importance is underscored by the fact that 70% of all the bacterial
secondary metabolites (more than 22,000) are produced by them (Subramani and
Aalbersberg 2012). These organisms proved to have the ability to produce novel
13 Novel Sources of Antimicrobials
inhibit closely related strains) from psychrophilic organisms, which showed broad
spectrum antibacterial activity (Sanchez et al. 2009, 2010). Various other extreme
habitats including abandoned minewaste disposal sites are being explored in search
of novel organisms and bioactive compounds that could aid in antimicrobial chemotherapy (Garcia-Moyano et al. 2015; Milshteyn et al. 2014).
13.7 Marine Sources
Although only partly explored – due to vastness and complexity – marine sources
of antimicrobials have already become interesting topics of research and clinical
trials. Bioactive compounds from marine flora and fauna have extensive past and
present use in the treatment of many diseases and serve as compounds of interest
both in their natural form and as templates for synthetic modification. The multitude of life forms (oceans host about 87% of life on earth) such as microorganisms, their symbiotic associations, plants, invertebrate animals, etc. offer excellent
opportunity for discovery of more and more novel compounds each day. It is
estimated that at least 30,000 compounds have been isolated from marine organisms within a short span of 15–20 years of active research. Approximately 16,000
marine bioactive compounds have been identified from various types of marine
organisms. Major contributors are sponges, coelenterates, and microorganisms
followed by other sources including algae, echinoderms, and tunicates. Rich
diversity of marine life is reflected in the plethora of antimicrobials isolated from
them. Some of the important compounds are aplasmomycin, himalomycins, pelagiomycins (bacteria), Ara-A, Ara-C, Variabillin (sponges), asperidol, eunicin
(coelenterates), cycloeudesmol, prepacifenol (algae), marinomycins C & D (actinomycetes), etc. (Doshi et al. 2011). Path toward identification of new generation
antimicrobials and making them available for therapeutic use is quite promising
despite discontinuation of some of the compounds due to their inefficiency and/or
toxicity (Schuster et al. 2005).
13.7.1 Marine Flora
Marine flora is composed of unicellular as well as multicellular organisms ranging
from bacteria to flowering plants (Sithranga Boopathy and Kathiresan 2011).
Metabolites and other compounds produced by thousands of species of marine flora
could be utilized for discovery of novel drugs.
Marine actinobacteria in general and the genus Streptomyces in particular are the
best known sources of a variety of compounds of therapeutic interest (Pathom-aree
et al. 2006). Their importance is underscored by the fact that 70% of all the bacterial
secondary metabolites (more than 22,000) are produced by them (Subramani and
Aalbersberg 2012). These organisms proved to have the ability to produce novel
13 Novel Sources of Antimicrobials