Unlocking Nature’s Arsenal: A Review on the Isolation of Novel Antibacterial Agents from Extremophiles
Department of Forensic Science, College of Science, University of Kirkuk, Kirkuk, Iraq.
* Corresponding Author: Email: karwanbio@uokirkuk.edu.iq
Review
Open Access Research Journal of Life Sciences, 2026, 11(02), 106–116.
Article DOI: 10.53022/oarjls.2026.11.2.0005
Publication history:
Received on 28 February 2026; revised on 06 April 2026; accepted on 09 April 2026
Abstract:
The rising resistance of bacteria to antibiotics is a health concern that may bring us back to the pre-penicillin age. Confronted with this dilemma, the search for new sources of antibiotics has become a scientific and ethical imperative. In this respect, extremophiles have emerged as one of the most promising sources due to their ability to survive in extreme conditions and to create unique metabolic pathways. In this paper, we discuss the biochemical potential of these organisms, the most important antibacterial chemicals recovered from them and technological and research hurdles related to their isolation and pharmaceutical development. It also points to the most important contemporary research and metagenomics approaches that have opened the door to the exploration of unconventional “natural weapons” against resistant bacteria.
Keywords:
Extremophiles, Antibacterial Agents, Antibiotic Resistance, Metagenomics, Natural Products, Bioprospecting.
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Copyright © 2026 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0