Strategies for Enhancement of Microbial Secondary Metabolites

Formation and production of microbial secondary metabolites are regulated by growth rate, nutrients, induction and inactivation of enzymes. Regulation of SM influenced by unique low molecular compound, sigma factors and gene product produced in stationary phase. These products are often coded by clustered genes present on chromosomal DNA and rarely on Plasmid DNA. Techniques for enhancement of secondary metabolite can be based on use of Elicitors, quorum sensing, genetic engineering, improvement methods such as amplification of secondary metabolite biosynthetic genes, amplification of regulatory genes, inactivation of competing pathways and Co-cultivation with microbe of same species and different species.