Polyketide pesticides from actinomycetes

Natural product derived pesticides have increased in popularity worldwide because of their high efficacy, eco-friendly nature and favorable safety profile. The development of polyketide pesticides from actinomycetes reflects this increase in popularity in the past decades. These pesticides, which include avermectins, spinosyns, polynactins, tetramycin and their analogues, have been successfully applied in crop protection. Moreover, the advance of biotechnology has led to continuous improvement in the discovery and production processes. In this review, we summarize these polyketide pesticides, their activities and provide insight into their development. We also discuss engineering strategies and the current status of industrial production for these pesticides. Given that actinomycetes are known to produce a wide range of bioactive secondary metabolites, the description of pesticide development and high yield strain improvement presented herein will facilitate further development of these valuable polyketide pesticides from actinomycetes.

Automated summary

Natural product derived polyketide pesticides have gained popularity worldwide due to their high efficacy, eco-friendly nature, and safety profile, with advancements in the development of such pesticides from actinomycetes in recent decades. These pesticides, such as avermectins, spinosyns, polynactins, tetramycin, and their analogues, have shown successful applications in crop protection, with continuous improvement driven by biotechnological advances.