Antiviral fungal metabolites and some insights into their contribution to the current COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak, which started in late 2019 drove the scientific community to conduct innovative research to contain the spread of the pandemic and to care for those already affected. Since then, the search for new drugs that are effective against the virus has been strengthened. Featuring a relatively low cost of production under well-defined methods of cultivation, fungi have been providing a diversity of antiviral metabolites with unprecedented chemical structures. In this review, we present viral RNA infections highlighting SARS-CoV-2 morphogenesis and the infectious cycle, the targets of known antiviral drugs, and current developments in this area such as drug repurposing. We also explored the metabolic adaptability of fungi during fermentation to produce metabolites active against RNA viruses, along with their chemical structures, and mechanisms of action. Finally, the state of the art of research on SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors of fungal origin is reported, highlighting the metabolites selected by docking studies.

Effectiveness of the Fungal Metabolite 3-O-Methylfunicone towards Canine Coronavirus in a Canine Fibrosarcoma Cell Line (A72)

“…The need to find new antiviral products dramatically increased after the impact of COVID-19. So far, fungi have been particularly considered as a valuable source of antibiotic, antitumor, and immunomodulatory products [ 21 , 22 ]; however, recent investigations have shown that many fungal compounds possess remarkable antiviral properties [ 11 , 12 ], which deserve further assessment in view of integration with current drugs available to treat CoVs [ 23 ].…”

Plant Spices as a Source of Antimicrobial Synergic Molecules to Treat Bacterial and Viral Co-Infections

“…This interaction also requires the priming of the S protein that takes place when SARS-CoV-2 binds to the protease. As a result, the binding of SARS-CoV-2 to the ace2 receptor allows the virus to enter the host cell, mainly by endocytosis, where it initiates a deregulated immune response, resulting in acute injuries [ 15 ].…”

Draft Genome Sequence of Truncatella angustata (Anamorph) S358

“…In addition to plants, this fungus was also isolated from marine sponges ( 13 ), humans ( 4 ), and as a pathogen from insects ( 14 ). T. angustata cultures showed several secondary metabolites with potential for application in biotechnology or medicine, e.g., α-pyrone-based analogs ( 15 ), phenazine-1-carboxylic acid with antifungal activity ( 6 ), ramulosin derivates with a broad range of biological activities ( 14 , 16 ), and truncateols, isoprenylated cyclohexanols with antiviral activity ( 15 , 17 ). In culture supernatants, isolate S358 showed activities of several oxidoreductases, including those of unspecific peroxygenase and laccase.…”