Micrococcus spp. as a promising source for drug discovery: A review

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Drug Discovery
• Natural Products Chemistry

Background:

• Actinobacteria are a rich source of bioactive compounds.
• The genus Micrococcus is under-explored for drug discovery.
• Small genomes in Micrococcus limit detection by current mining algorithms.

Conclusions:

• The Micrococcus genus possesses considerable, yet largely untapped, biosynthetic potential.
• Further investigation into Micrococcus, especially marine strains, is warranted for novel drug discovery.
• Developing new methods to explore small-genome bacteria could unlock new bioactive compounds.