Abstract
Flavonoids and isoflavonoids are polyphenolic secondary metabolites usually produced by plants adapting to changing ecological environments over a long period of time. Therefore, their biosynthesis pathways are considered as the most distinctive natural product pathway in plants. Seemingly, the flavonoids and isoflavones from fungi and actinomycetes have been relatively overlooked. In this review, we summarized and classified the isoflavones and flavonoids derived from fungi and actinomycetes and described their biological activities. Increasing attention has been paid to bioactive substances derived from microorganism whole-cell biotransformation. Additionally, we described the utilization of isoflavones and flavonoids as substrates by fungi and actinomycetes for biotransformation through hydroxylation, methylation, halogenation, glycosylation, dehydrogenation, cyclisation, and hydrogenation reactions to obtain rare and highly active biofunctional derivatives. Overall, among all microorganisms, actinomycetes are the main producers of flavonoids. In our review, we also summarized the functional genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis.
Highlights
Flavonoids and isoflavonoids are versatile natural compounds and subdivisions of polyphenols that represent a large proportion of secondary metabolites produced by higher plants and are a rich part of the human diet [1]
Flavonoid derivatives are natural products commonly found in medicinal plants and are synthesised from phenylpropanoid and acetate-derived precursors [11]
Three flavonoids, named myricetin (50), myricitrin (73), and quercitrin (74) were obtained from the endophytic fungus X. papulis BCRC 09F0222 isolated from hairy woody plants [48]
Summary
Flavonoids and isoflavonoids are versatile natural compounds and subdivisions of polyphenols that represent a large proportion of secondary metabolites produced by higher plants and are a rich part of the human diet [1]. They are playing multiple roles in the physiology and ecology of individual plant species. Most plants contain isoflavonoids and flavonoids that play important roles in the growth and development of plants as well as in antibacterial and disease-preventing aspects [10,11]
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