Chapter 3 - Bioactive compounds from marine-derived fungi and their potential applications

Abstract

Marine fungi have been classified as obligate or facultative. Marine-derived fungi can be found on different substrata including sediments, sponges, microalgae, mollusks, corals, fishes, the deep sea, and mangrove wood. They can thrive at extreme conditions including high pressure, high salinity, oligotrophic conditions, low temperature, pH extremes, wide ranging mineral content in seawater, and special lighting conditions. Such conditions may entail them to produce secondary metabolites that have potential in marine biotechnology and various applications to mankind. Recently, a plethora of new bioactive secondary metabolites, some of them featuring new carbon frameworks, have been reported from marine-derived fungi. Such secondary metabolites are of relevance as new lead structures, for medicine and other biological applications, including antimicrobial, antiviral, antiprotozoal, antidiabetic, antituberculosis, antioxidant, cytotoxic, antitumor, or antiinflammatory activities. Marine-derived fungi are a rich source of novel compounds due to their immense chemical diversity and evidenced to produce natural products of therapeutic and pharmacological significance. These aspects of marine-derived fungi are consolidated and reviewed in this chapter.