A Recent Update on Sponge Bioprospecting and its Antimicrobial Properties: Their Biological Mode of Action

In recent decades, both the growing global resistance to existing antibiotics and the shortage of new groups of compounds identified have become a public health concern. In order to solve it, researchers are now focusing their attention on unconventional sources, including microbes from harsh environments. In this context, the aim of this study was to determine whether marine sponges have the ability to inhibit the growth of microorganisms that are terrestrial in origin and pathogenic to humans. The majority of these chemicals have so far been found in marine invertebrates, primarily sponges. Marine sponges are a rich source of structurally specific natural substances, some exhibiting a diverse variety of biological activities. Also, excellent sponge drug candidates are often overlooked because the sponges are either rare or difficult to obtain, or both. Sponges have piqued the interest of scientists who want to learn more about the associated microbial community and the useful metabolites they produce, which can be used in pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications. The ecological importance of mutualistic relationships between marine sponges and their related microbes cannot be overstated. These bioactive compounds from microbes protect their hosts from a variety of microbial diseases. These results indicate that the antimicrobial properties of marine sponge extracts may be used as a complementary or replacement method for treating microbial infections.