Microbial production of beneficial indoleamines (serotonin and melatonin) with potential application to biotechnological products for human health

ALBERTO, M.R.; JUÁREZ TOMÁS, M.S.; DANILOVICH, M.E.

JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2021

1364-5072

Micro-organisms have showed the ability to produce biologicallyactive compounds associated with neurotransmission in higher organisms. Inparticular, serotonin- and melatonin-producing microbes are valuable sourcesfor the development of eco-friendly bioproducts. Serotonin and melatonin areindoleamines that have received special attention due to their positive effectson human health. These biomolecules exert a critical role in severalphysiological or pathological processes, including some mental andneurological disorders. This article includes a review of the microbialproduction of serotonin and melatonin, their functions in micro-organismsand their potential uses as therapeutic and/or preventive agents to improvehuman health. A description of the quantification methods employed to detectindoleamines and the evidence found concerning their microbial production atlaboratory and industrial scale?for application in biotechnological products?is also provided. The microbial ability to synthesize beneficial indoleaminesshould be further studied and harnessed, to allow the development ofsustainable bioprocesses to produce foods and pharmaceuticals for humanhealth.