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Soil-associated microorganisms: A natural source of biologically active compounds.

Rustamova N, Movlanov J, Alimova D, Yin H, Huang G

Summary

PubMed

Researchers have identified 326 new compounds from soil bacteria and fungi between 2018-2025, many of which show promise as drugs with antimicrobial, anticancer, and antitumor properties. This demonstrates that soil microorganisms remain a rich, largely untapped reservoir for discovering new medicines.

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Key Findings

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326 structurally novel natural products isolated from soil-dwelling bacteria and fungi between 2018-2025

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Identified compounds display multiple bioactivities including antimicrobial, anticancer, antifungal, antitumor, and enzyme-inhibitory effects

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Soil microbiota continues to be a critical source for therapeutic drug discovery

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Original Abstract

Soil-dwelling bacteria and fungi represent prolific sources of structurally diverse and biologically potent secondary metabolites. This review highlights 326 recently identified natural products isolated from various soil-associated microbial taxa, including both bacterial and fungal species. These metabolites, reported between 2018 and 2025, display a broad spectrum of bioactivities such as antimicrobial, anticancer, antifungal, antitumor, and enzyme-inhibitory effects. Emphasis is placed on the structural novelty and pharmacological relevance of these compounds, underscoring the continued importance of soil microbiota in the discovery of new therapeutic agents.

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