Actinomycetes are essential sources of numerous bioactive secondary metabolites with diverse chemical and bioactive properties. Lichen ecosystems have piqued the interest of the research community due to their distinct characteristics. Lichen is a symbiont of fungi and algae or cyanobacteria. This review focuses on the novel taxa and diverse bioactive secondary metabolites identified between 1995 and 2022 from cultivable actinomycetota associated with lichens. A total of 25 novel actinomycetota species were reported following studies of lichens. The chemical structures and biological activities of 114 compounds derived from the lichen-associated actinomycetota are also summarized. These secondary metabolites were classified into aromatic amides and amines, diketopiperazines, furanones, indole, isoflavonoids, linear esters and macrolides, peptides, phenolic derivatives, pyridine derivatives, pyrrole derivatives, quinones, and sterols. Their biological activities included anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, cytotoxic, and enzyme-inhibitory actions. In addition, the biosynthetic pathways of several potent bioactive compounds are summarized. Thus, lichen actinomycetes demonstrate exceptional abilities in the discovery of new drug candidates.
Keywords: actinomycetes; antimicrobial; bioactive secondary metabolites; biosynthetic pathways; diversity; lichen.