Identification of potent anti-Candida metabolites produced by the soft coral associated Streptomyces sp. HC14 using chemoinformatics

Candida albicans is the most common pathogen responsible for both spontaneous and recurrent candidiasis. The available treatment of Candida infections has several adverse effects, and the development of new drugs is critical. The current study looked at the synthesis of anti-Candida metabolites by Streptomyces sp. HC14 recovered from a soft coral. Using the Plackett Burman design, the medium composition was formulated to maximize production. Using GC–MS, the compounds have been identified, and a cheminformatics approach has been used to identify the potential source of activity. The compounds that showed high potential for activity were identified as pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione, hexahydro-3-(phenylmethyl)-3 and di-n-octyl based on their docking score against the cytochrome monooxygenase (CYP51) enzyme in Candida albicans. As a result of their discovery, fewer molecules need to be chemically synthesized, and fermentation optimization maximizes their synthesis, providing a strong foundation for the development of novel anti-Candida albicans agents.