ABSTRACT
Endophytes are microorganisms that coexist symbiotically with plant tissues. It's interesting to note that, most likely as a result of horizontal gene transfer, some endophytes have been observed to generate the same metabolites as the host plants. Many studies have shown that endophytes are a new and potentially abundant source of novel bioactive compounds for use in medical science, agriculture, and industry. They create a wide range of chemically varied bioactive secondary metabolites that serve as antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and anticancer agents in living beings. So far, a large number of unique natural compounds with antibacterial properties have been identified from endophytes. Bioprospecting endophytes for production of antimicrobial compounds are thought to be a viable strategy to combat the growing problem of drug-resistant strains of human and plant pathogens. On the basis of structure, the antimicrobial compounds these endophytes produce have been broadly classified into aliphatic compounds, peptides, phenols, alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, quinones, benzoquinones, and lactones. This book chapter provides an in-depth examination of the antimicrobial compounds generated by endophytes and their applications in the fields of medicine and agriculture.
