Fenazin as Potential New Antibiotics from Streptomyces kebangsaanensis

Phenazine is a secondary metabolite that is naturally synthesized by Pseudomonas and Streptomyces. It is a heterocyclic compound that has nitrogen group at the core structure of the ring. The study of antibiotics has begun since 19th century and turned out to be a highly potential drug in a medical world To date, more than 100 types of phenazines have been discovered from natural sources and acted as antibacterial, anticancer, antiviral, antitumor and antiparasites. To date, the study of phenazine biosynthesis was carried out on Pseudomonas and Streptomyces has showed the genes responsible in the pathway of phenazine biosynthesis but the specific genes involved in the production of complex phenazine derivatives are still hypothetical. In this review, we discuss the importance of phenazine as well as the latest understanding of phenazine biosynthesis pathways that have been successful discovered in Streptomyces kebangsaanensis.