Background: Microbes living at extremes evolve unique survival strategies to adapt to challenging environmental conditions. Among these strategies is their distinctive metabolic potential and ability to produce specialized metabolites enabling them to compete for limited resources and defend against predators. These metabolites have significant potential in pharmaceutical and industrial applications, particularly in the development of drugs and biochemicals.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the culturable fungal communities associated with four desert plants and their surrounding soils in the Arabian Peninsula desert to identify their bioactive properties.
Methods: A total of 12 distinct fungal species were isolated from the plants and soils. Each plant hosted a unique set of fungi, demonstrating the diversity of desert-adapted fungal communities. Biological activities of the fungal extracts were evaluated through various assays, including antimicrobial, antifungal, anticancer, and antioxidant properties.
Results: harbors the most diverse fungal community, dominated by genera such as , , , , and species comprise 33% of the total isolates, followed by at 16%. All extracts exhibit diverse activities, with species demonstrating the highest antioxidant activities and total phenolic and flavonoid content. Fungi from , particularly sp., sp., and sp., display potent activity against , while sp., sp., and sp. exhibit moderate inhibition against
Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of exploring extremophilic microorganisms, such as those found in desert ecosystems, as they offer a wealth of compounds that could address current challenges in drug discovery and biotechnology.
