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Peer-reviewedCC BYApplied microbiology and biotechnology

Entomopathogenic fungi as microbial platforms for tyrosine kinase-oriented inhibitor discovery.

  • Victor Uchenna Chigozie1,2,3
  • Kennedy Izuchukwu Ogunwa4,5
  • Nkeiruka Grace Osuafor6
  • Leslie Luxe Nduwimana7
  • Daniel Ikechukwu Oraekei8
8 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Ebonyi, Uburu, Nigeria. [email protected].
  2. 2NaPBiTReG (Natural Products Bioprospecting and Translation Research Group), International Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation (IIPRI), Uburu, Ebonyi, Nigeria. [email protected].
  3. 3Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Olivia University, Mukaza, Bujumbura, Burundi. [email protected].
  4. 4Department of Industrial and Medicinal Chemistry, David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, Nigeria.
  5. 5International Institute for Toxicology, Environmental & Occupational Health and Safety Research, DUFUHS, Ebonyi, Nigeria.
  6. 6Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, University of Abuja, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria.
  7. 7Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Olivia University, Mukaza, Bujumbura, Burundi.
  8. 8Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra, Nigeria.
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Abstract

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) remain a major focus of targeted therapeutic discovery, yet current discovery pipelines are constrained by resistance development, limited scaffold diversity, and high attrition rates. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) represent an underexplored microbial resource with significant biosynthetic potential for generating kinase-relevant secondary metabolites. Recent genomic studies reveal that EPF encode diverse and largely cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), including polyketide synthase (PKS), non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), and hybrid pathways capable of producing structurally complex bioactive compounds. This mini-review examines the biotechnological exploitation of EPF for TKI discovery, focusing on fungal metabolites with direct or indirect kinase-related activity, genome mining strategies, biosynthetic logic, pathway regulation, and engineering approaches for metabolite production. Although only a limited number of EPF-derived metabolites have been experimentally validated as direct tyrosine kinase inhibitors, accumulating evidence indicates that many modulate kinase-associated signalling pathways and represent promising starting points for kinase-oriented natural product discovery. Particular emphasis is placed on pathway activation, heterologous expression, metabolic engineering, and scalable bioprocess development. Key translational challenges, including selectivity, toxicity, yield instability, and regulatory considerations, are also discussed. Collectively, this review highlights EPF as promising microbial platforms for kinase-oriented natural product discovery and provides a biotechnology-focused framework for advancing fungal secondary metabolites toward translational development. KEY POINTS: • Entomopathogenic fungi encode diverse kinase-active secondary metabolites. • Genome mining and synthetic biology unlock cryptic TKI pathways. • Biotechnological optimization is critical for scalable fungal TKI discovery.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{chigozie2026entomopathogenic,
  title = {{Entomopathogenic fungi as microbial platforms for tyrosine kinase-oriented inhibitor discovery.}},
  author = {Victor Uchenna Chigozie and Kennedy Izuchukwu Ogunwa and Nkeiruka Grace Osuafor and Leslie Luxe Nduwimana and Daniel Ikechukwu Oraekei},
  journal = {Applied microbiology and biotechnology},
  year = {2026},
  month = aug,
  doi = {10.1007/s00253-026-13975-y},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42957862},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Entomopathogenic fungi as microbial platforms for tyrosine kinase-oriented inhibitor discovery.
AU  - Victor Uchenna Chigozie
AU  - Kennedy Izuchukwu Ogunwa
AU  - Nkeiruka Grace Osuafor
AU  - Leslie Luxe Nduwimana
AU  - Daniel Ikechukwu Oraekei
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/03
JO  - Applied microbiology and biotechnology
DO  - 10.1007/s00253-026-13975-y
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42957862
AB  - Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) remain a major focus of targeted therapeutic discovery, yet current discovery pipelines are constrained by resistance development, limited scaffold diversity, and high attrition rates. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) represent an underexplored microbial resource with significant biosynthetic potential for generating kinase-relevant secondary metabolites. Recent genomic studies reveal that EPF encode diverse and largely cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), including polyketide synthase (PKS), non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), and hybrid pathways capable of producing structurally complex bioactive compounds. This mini-review examines the biotechnological exploitation of EPF for TKI discovery, focusing on fungal metabolites with direct or indirect kinase-related activity, genome mining strategies, biosynthetic logic, pathway regulation, and engineering approaches for metabolite production. Although only a limited number of EPF-derived metabolites have been experimentally validated as direct tyrosine kinase inhibitors, accumulating evidence indicates that many modulate kinase-associated signalling pathways and represent promising starting points for kinase-oriented natural product discovery. Particular emphasis is placed on pathway activation, heterologous expression, metabolic engineering, and scalable bioprocess development. Key translational challenges, including selectivity, toxicity, yield instability, and regulatory considerations, are also discussed. Collectively, this review highlights EPF as promising microbial platforms for kinase-oriented natural product discovery and provides a biotechnology-focused framework for advancing fungal secondary metabolites toward translational development. KEY POINTS: • Entomopathogenic fungi encode diverse kinase-active secondary metabolites. • Genome mining and synthetic biology unlock cryptic TKI pathways. • Biotechnological optimization is critical for scalable fungal TKI discovery.
SN  - 0175-7598
SN  - 1432-0614
ER  -