Abstract
A variety of organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and plants, produce secondary metabolites, also known as natural products. Natural products have been a prolific source and an inspiration for numerous medical agents with widely divergent chemical structures and biological activities, including antimicrobial, immunosuppressive, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities, many of which have been developed as treatments and have potential therapeutic applications for human diseases. Aside from natural products, the recent development of recombinant DNA technology has sparked the development of a wide array of biopharmaceutical products, such as recombinant proteins, offering significant advances in treating a broad spectrum of medical illnesses and conditions. Herein, we will introduce the structures and diverse biological activities of natural products and recombinant proteins that have been exploited as valuable molecules in medicine, agriculture and insect control. In addition, we will explore past and ongoing efforts along with achievements in the development of robust and promising microorganisms as cell factories to produce biologically active molecules. Furthermore, we will review multi-disciplinary and comprehensive engineering approaches directed at improving yields of microbial production of natural products and proteins and generating novel molecules. Throughout this article, we will suggest ways in which microbial-derived biologically active molecular entities and their analogs could continue to inspire the development of new therapeutic agents in academia and industry.
Highlights
Natural products originate as secondary metabolites from a myriad of sources, including terrestrial plants, animals, marine organisms, microorganisms, terrestrial vertebrates and invertebrates (Chin et al, 2006)
Biologics are a set of molecules whose active pharmaceutical ingredients are derived from living organisms such as animals, plants, microorganisms, human blood products, and tissue transplants that are too complex to be produced through organic synthesis (Revers and Furczon, 2010)
The human interleukin-3 (hIL-3) protein is derived from B. subtilis, B. licheniformis, and E. coli and has utility as a laboratory reagent in hematology for cell cultures, differentiation studies and functional assays
Summary
Natural products originate as secondary metabolites from a myriad of sources, including terrestrial plants, animals, marine organisms, microorganisms, terrestrial vertebrates and invertebrates (Chin et al, 2006). Biologics are a set of molecules whose active pharmaceutical ingredients are derived from living organisms such as animals, plants, microorganisms, human blood products, and tissue transplants that are too complex to be produced through organic synthesis (Revers and Furczon, 2010). They can be categorized into five main classes: (1) monoclonal antibodies, like trastuzumab (Herceptin R ) and rituximab (Rituxan R ); (2) blood factor derivatives, like coagulation factor VIIa (NovoSeven RT R ) and epoiten alfa (Epogen R ); (3) vaccines; (4) enzymes; and (5) recombinant proteins, such as immunomodulatory cytokines, and thrombolytic agents (Lacana et al, 2007). Future prospects for cutting-edge developments and technological advances in microbial production of bioactive natural products and recombinant proteins as the most valuable sources of therapeutics are discussed
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