Marine environments are massively complex and contain diverse assemblage of life forms, which occur in environments with extreme variations in pressure, salinity, and temperature. As a result, marine microorganisms have developed unique metabolic and physiological capabilities to be able to survive in such extreme habitats that led them to produce different kind of metabolites, which could not be produced by the terrestrial microorganisms.

It is now becoming evident that marine microorganisms are emerging as a significant chemical resource with novel compounds in clinical trials deriving from these micro-organisms. However, the lack of in-depth knowledge on the physiology and true nutritional requirements of marine microorganisms still hampers the development of effective isolation techniques, which in turn delays the detection of potent therapeutic agents.

This special issue dedicated to “Bioactive Compounds from Marine Microorganisms” aims to place emphasis on the importance of understanding and linking the true ecological and functional roles of these microorganisms in marine environments on the route to biodiscovery.

As the Guest Editor, I invite scientists working with marine bioactive compounds to report recent advances in the field (e.g. marine microbial ecology; detection and selective isolation of bioactive compound producing marine microorganisms; marine microbial physiology; fermentation and identification of bioactive compounds).

I look forward to working with you towards a successful special issue of the journal Marine Drugs dedicated to marine bioactive compounds.

Dr Ipek Kurtböke
University of the Sunshine Coast
Australia

Key Words: Marine Microorganisms, Biodiscovery, Marine pharmaceuticals, Marine Microbial Ecology, Novel Therapeutic Agents, Bioactive Compounds, Marine and Extreme Environments, Natural Products, Seawater-derived Microorganism, Sediment-derived Microorganisms, Marine Microbial Toxins