Insights in Fungal Bioprospecting in Mexico

Abstract

Fungi have consistently been one of the richest sources of natural products, with unprecedented chemical scaffolds and potent biological activities. During the last 20 years, pharmacognosy researchers in Mexico, in collaboration with mycologists, have discovered many novel bioactive fungi natural products and new fungal species. To date, more than 100 bioactive secondary metabolites from 20 fungi from different ecosystems throughout Mexico have been documented in peer-reviewed literature according to Scopus and SciFinder databases. These include compounds from different biosynthetic origins and structural cores with the potential for the development of anticancer, antidiabetic, and/or pesticide agents.

Natural Products from Endophytic Fungi Associated with Rubiaceae Species

“…The ethyl acetate extract from Cytospora rhizophorae (Valsaceae), a fungus associated with Morinda officinalis, led to the isolation of three new compounds, named cytosporaphenones A-C (50-52), one new polyhydric benzophenone, and two new naphthopyrone derivatives, respectively. In addition to eight known compounds: 2-(2 S-hydroxypropyl)-5-methyl-7-hydroxychromone (53), 2-acetonyl-7-hydroxy-5-methylchromone (54), 8-hydroxy-6-methylxanthone-1-carboxylic acid (55), regiolone (56), (3R,4R)-cis-4-hydroxy-5-methylmellein (57), scytalone (58), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (59) and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzene-ethanol (60). Interestingly, all of them were identified from this strain for the first time, and these three new compounds (50-52) were the most highly oxygenated metabolites of their families discovered in nature [109].…”

“…The research on microorganisms associated with the Rubiaceae family, for biotechnological applications, led to the isolation of endophytic fungi [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 ] and the discovery of several bioactive metabolites [ 38 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 ]. The diversity of chemical structures observed for secondary metabolites synthesized by fungi isolated from Rubiaceae species showed a dynamic range of metabolites pathways used by these microorganisms.…”

Hidden Microbial Helpers Living Inside Plants: Getting to Know Endophytes and Some of Their Applications in Our Daily Lives

“…The medicinal plant known as "Copalchi" (Hintonia latiflora) contains an endophyte that produces chemicals that could be used to treat diabetes [4]. From other medicinal plant species, like "Granadilla" (Callicarpa acuminata) and the "Copal" tree (Bursera simaruba), scientists found endophytes that produce chemicals that can kill weeds and fight against fungi that cause plant diseases [4].…”

“…The medicinal plant known as "Copalchi" (Hintonia latiflora) contains an endophyte that produces chemicals that could be used to treat diabetes [4]. From other medicinal plant species, like "Granadilla" (Callicarpa acuminata) and the "Copal" tree (Bursera simaruba), scientists found endophytes that produce chemicals that can kill weeds and fight against fungi that cause plant diseases [4]. Endophytes were also found from the medicinal tree "Cuachalalate" (Amphiterygium adstringens), and these endophytes could be used in the production of chemicals to treat cancer or bacterial infections in humans [5].…”

Metabolites from the marine-facultative Aspergillus sp. MEXU 27854 and Gymnoascus hyalinosporus MEXU 29901 from Caleta Bay, Mexico

“…Fungi are considered one of the most diverse group of organisms with over 120,000 currently recognized species and an estimated of 2.2 to 3.8 million worldwide [1]. Mycodiversity of Mexico has been poorly studied, and some authors have proposed the existence of around 200,000 fungal species, but less than 10,000 remain taxonomically described [2], and even fewer investigated for their secondary metabolites chemistry [3].…”