Metagenomics for accelerated discovery of antimicrobial compounds: A review focused on bovine mastitis

Bovine mastitis is the most common disease in dairy cattle worldwide and causes high economic losses to the dairy industry. It can be caused by different microorganisms, as bacteria, fungi, and algae. However, most of these infections are caused by bacteria which have been classified as contagious, opportunistic, and environmental pathogens. Prevention and treatment strategies for bovine mastitis rely primarily on antibiotic therapy. Although it has a positive impact on the dairy industry by contributing to udder health and milk production, it is not always effective. In addition, antimicrobial resistance is also a serious health problem and generates economic losses of billions of dollars. In recent years, there has been a notable increase in interest in the exploration of new antimicrobial compounds from different environments. The soil stands out as a prolific reservoir teeming with enzymes, antibiotics, and natural products. On the other hand, the use of metagenomic approaches allows the identification of a wide range of antimicrobial compounds isolated from soil. This review addresses the potential of metagenomics as a key tool to accelerate the discovery of new antimicrobial compounds, which could have potential applications in the treatment of bovine mastitis.