Bacterial Endophytes of Prunus africana: Current Evidence, Antibacterial Metabolites, Biosynthetic Potential and Conservation Prospects

Background

Antimicrobial resistance continues to reduce the effectiveness of existing antibiotics, creating an urgent need for new antibacterial compounds from alternative natural sources. Bacterial endophytes of medicinal plants are increasingly recognised as reservoirs of structurally diverse bioactive metabolites with potential pharmaceutical applications. Prunus africana, a medicinally important but conservation-sensitive Afromontane tree, remains poorly characterised with respect to its bacterial endophytes and their antibacterial metabolites, highlighting the need to evaluate their biosynthetic potential and possible relevance to conservation-aligned bioprospecting.