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414963

Antimicrobial activity of culturable endobionic fungi residing lichens and lower plants

Article

Last updated: 09 Mar 2025

Subjects

-

Tags

Antimicrobials
Endophytes
Human Microbial Interactions
Microbial-plant interactions
Multidrug Resistance
Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

We urgently need new antimicrobials to treat systemic fungal infections, food and plant pathogens, and bacterial drug resistance. Many bacterial and fungal diseases remain uncontrolled despite research on antibacterial and antifungal agents. Many regions have long used plant and microbial metabolites as therapeutic drugs. Plants contribute 50–60% of these compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, and polysaccharides, while microbial metabolites contribute 5%. The vast unexplored diversity of microorganisms may yield novel and bioactive metabolites. Thus, research is increasingly focused on rare and understudied microorganisms from diverse ecological habitats. Endolichenic fungi live in lichen thalli with algae. They are similar to plant endophytes, which live inside the cells of their host plants. Several antibiotics and natural bioactive compounds with multiple uses have developed them. According to the WHO, a large percentage of developing countries' populations rely on local medicinal products for primary health care, driving up demand for medicinal plants worldwide. Plants' ability to synthesize antimicrobial potency compounds (secondary metabolites) helps fight antibiotic resistance. We reviewed these organisms' potential as sources of novel antimicrobial compounds. These fungi may produce bioactive substances that fight harmful microorganisms. Understanding their antimicrobial properties could lead to new antibiotics that address antibiotic resistance. This research is essential for finding alternative treatments and understanding natural antimicrobials.

DOI

10.21608/mb.2025.414963

Keywords

bioactive compounds, bioprospecting potential, ecological interactions, fungal diversity, natural product discovery, Phytochemical analysis, secondary metabolites, symbiotic microorganisms

Authors

First Name

Safaa

Last Name

Mansour

MiddleName

A.

Affiliation

Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Suez Canal, Ismailia 41522, Egypt.

Email

safaa_abdelbary@yahoo.com

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Mamdouh

Last Name

Serag

MiddleName

S.

Affiliation

Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, New Damietta 34511, Egypt.

Email

mamdouhserag054@gmail.com

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Ahmed

Last Name

Abdel-Azeem

MiddleName

M.

Affiliation

Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Suez Canal, Ismailia 41522, Egypt., Research Institute of University of the Bucharest (ICUB), University of Bucharest, 36-46 Bd. M. Kogalniceanu, District 5, 050107, Bucharest, Romania

Email

ahmed_abdelazeem@science.suez.edu.eg

City

Ismailia

Orcid

0000-0003-2897-3966

Volume

10

Article Issue

1

Related Issue

53711

Issue Date

2025-03-01

Receive Date

2024-12-28

Publish Date

2025-03-01

Print ISSN

2357-0326

Online ISSN

2357-0334

Link

https://mb.journals.ekb.eg/article_414963.html

Detail API

http://journals.ekb.eg?_action=service&article_code=414963

Order

414,963

Type

Reviews

Type Code

504

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Microbial Biosystems

Publication Link

https://mb.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Antimicrobial activity of culturable endobionic fungi residing lichens and lower plants

Details

Type

Article

Created At

09 Mar 2025