The insect microbiome is a vast source of bioactive small molecules

Area of Science:

• Microbial natural products chemistry
• Insect microbiology
• Bioactive compound discovery

Background:

• Bacteria and fungi symbiotic with insects are prolific sources of bioactive natural products.
• Microorganisms from Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and fungi yield diverse small molecules with antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and antiparasitic activities.
• The insect niche is a unique source for compounds like gerumycins, pederin, dinactin, and formicamycins, yet many insect-associated microbial communities remain unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively survey and classify 553 natural products derived from insect-associated microorganisms.
• To analyze correlations between insects, microbial symbionts, and their produced compounds.
• To provide insights into insect-microbe dynamics and the biological impact of their metabolites.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review and data collation of natural products from insect-associated microbes.
• Classification of 553 compounds based on chemical type.
• Analysis of metadata including insect hosts, microbial partners, and compound properties.

Main Results:

• A catalog of 553 natural products from insect-associated microorganisms was compiled and classified.
• The review details the chemical structures, biosynthesis pathways, and biological activities of these compounds.
• Analysis revealed insights into the intricate relationships between insects, their symbionts, and the metabolites produced.

Conclusions:

• Insect-associated microorganisms represent a vast, underexplored reservoir of structurally diverse bioactive natural products.
• Understanding these microbial communities and their metabolites can drive novel drug discovery and development.
• Further taxonomic and metabolic exploration of insect microbiota is warranted to uncover new chemical entities.