Blue Biotech Bounty: Marine-Derived Fungi as a Potential Source of Antibacterial Agents

The rise of antibiotic resistance has created an urgent need for novel antimicrobial agents. Marine ecosystems, particularly marine-derived fungi, have emerged as a rich resource of structurally diverse and complex secondary biometabolites demonstrating promising antibacterial capabilities. These microorganisms thrive in extreme environments, facilitating the synthesis of unique biologically active molecules not commonly found in terrestrial sources. The present review attempts to furnish a bird's eye view of antibacterial compounds derived from marine fungi, highlighting their structural diversity and pharmacological attributes for potential use against drugresistant pathogens. A study of relevant literature has been conducted using Google Scholar, a freely accessible web search engine, and various databases, including PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, ScienceDirect, and SciFinder. Published literatures on marine fungal metabolites with antibacterial properties were analyzed, focusing on their chemical classes, fungal sources, and bioactivity against clinically relevant bacteria. Additionally, the influence of marine habitats on metabolite production and on innovative discovery approaches, such as co-cultivation, was examined. The review provides an overview of the classification of ocean-sourced fungi and explores various mechanisms of action of antibacterial compounds derived from marine fungi, including blocking cell wall formation, damaging bacterial membranes, inhibiting protein synthesis, and interfering with quorum sensing. It provides an extensive overview of diverse biologically active compounds obtained from oceanic fungi belonging to Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, and other genera, with antibacterial potential. These metabolites encompass polyketides, alkaloids, terpenoids, peptides, diketopiperazines, and other compound classes identified from marinederived fungi. Notably, several compounds have demonstrated selective activity against drugresistant pathogens, emphasizing their pharmaceutical significance. Additionally, the review highlights the advantages of marine fungi-derived antibacterial agents and addresses the challenges associated with their discovery and development. Marine fungi serve as a promising yet underexplored resource for antibiotic discovery. This review serves as a valuable resource for researchers, summarizing key findings and offering insights into promising marine fungal metabolites. Moreover, it guides future research by identifying existing knowledge gaps and highlighting cutting-edge approaches to optimizing the identification and development of antibacterial compounds derived from marine fungi.