Pimentel MR, Molina G, Dionísio AP, Maróstica Junior MR, Pastore GM. The use of endophytes to obtain bioactive compounds and their application in biotransformation process.
BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2010;
2011:576286. [PMID:
21350663 PMCID:
PMC3042614 DOI:
10.4061/2011/576286]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2010] [Accepted: 08/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Endophytes are microorganisms that reside asymptomatically in the tissues of higher plants and are a promising source of novel organic natural metabolites exhibiting a variety of biological activities. The laboratory of Bioaromas (Unicamp, Brazil) develops research in biotransformation processes and functional evaluation of natural products. With the intent to provide subsidies for studies on endophytic microbes related to areas cited before, this paper focuses particularly on the role of endophytes on the production of anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant compounds and includes examples that illustrate their potential for human use. It also describes biotransformation as an auspicious method to obtain novel bioactive compounds from microbes. Biotransformation allows the production of regio- and stereoselective compounds under mild conditions that can be labeled as "natural," as discussed in this paper.
Collapse