Marine-derived antimicrobial molecules from the sponges and their associated bacteria

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the leading global health issues that demand urgent attention. Very soon the world will have to bear the consequences of increased drug resistance if new anti-infectives are not pumped into the clinical pipeline in a short period. This presses on the need for novel chemical entities, and the marine environment is one such hotspot to look for. The Ocean harbours a variety of organisms, of which from this aspect, “Sponges (Phylum Porifera)” are of particular interest. To tackle the stresses faced due to their sessile and filter-feeding lifestyle, sponges produce various bioactive compounds, which can be tapped for human use. The sponges harbour several microorganisms of different types and in most cases; the microbial symbionts are the actual producers of the bioactive compounds. This review describes the alarming need for the development of new antimicrobials and how marine sponges can contribute to this. Selected antimicrobial compounds from the marine sponges and their associated bacteria have been described. Additionally, measures to tackle the supply problem have been covered, which is the primary obstacle in marine natural product drug discovery.