Fungi and their natural products, like secondary metabolites, have gained a huge demand in
the last decade due to their increasing applications in healthcare, environmental cleanup, and
biotechnology-based industries. The fungi produce these secondary metabolites WSMs) during
the different phases of their growth, which are categorized into terpenoids, alkaloids,
polyketides, and non-ribosomal peptides. These SMs exhibit significant biological activity,
which contributes to the formulation of novel pharmaceuticals, biopesticides, and
environmental bioremediation agents. Nowadays, these fungal-derived SMs are widely used in
food and beverages, for fermentation, preservatives, protein sources, and in dairy industries.
In healthcare, it is being used as an antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and
immunosuppressive drug. The usage of modern tools of biotechnology can achieve an
increase in demand for these SMs and large-scale production. The present review
comprehensively analyses the diversity of fungal SMs along with their emerging applications
in healthcare, agriculture, environmental sustainability, and nutraceuticals. Here, the authors
have reviewed the recent advancements in genetic engineering, metabolic pathway
manipulation, and synthetic biology to improve the production and yield of these SMs.
Advancement in fermentation techniques, bioprocessing, and co-cultivation approaches for
large-scale production of SMs. Investigators further highlighted the importance of omics
technologies in understanding the regulation and biosynthesis of SMs, which offers an
understanding of novel applications in drug discovery and sustainable agriculture. Finally, the
authors have addressed the potential for genetic manipulation and biotechnological
innovations for further exploitation of fungal SMs for commercial and environmental benefits.