Bioactive Compounds from Hot Spring and Volcanic Microorganisms

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threatening global health challenge with an estimated annual death toll of 10 million by 2050 if unabated. Therefore, there is a mounting urgency to find new sources of clinical candidates for the development of drugs that are effective against drug-resistant infections and cancer. Hot springs and volcanic environments represent valuable sources of novel natural products (NPs) – including polyketides, alkaloids, and peptides – yet largely untapped and understudied. Microbes from these niches have been found to develop unique defenses to thrive in extreme temperatures and harsh conditions, leading to the biosynthesis of novel molecules with unique chemical architectures and remarkable biological activities. The present review surveys the bioactive NPs from hot springs and volcanic microbes from 2006–2022, highlighting their chemical structures and biological potential. Notably, the compounds ohmyungsamycin A, dicitrinone B, and terrein displayed more potent cytotoxic effects on several cancer cell lines compared to the current chemotherapy drugs, indicating a promising potential for drug development. The continued exploration of extreme microbes will undoubtedly bring many discoveries of bioactive molecules potentially valuable for biotechnological or pharmaceutical applications.