Thinking big about small beings--the (yet) underdeveloped microbial natural products chemistry in Brazil.

Covering: up to 2013. Natural products isolated from microorganisms from Brazil are comprehensively reviewed, including the microbial sources, bioactivities and biosynthesis. Analysis of trends related to the research on microbial natural products in Brazil is discussed in detail. An outlook to future perspectives of research in Brazil is presented considering the development of state-of-the-art strategies and approaches that have emerged during the last decade, aiming to investigate and better understand the microbial world and its chemical and biochemical capabilities. Finally, the importance of microbial natural products biodiscovery is discussed in the context of the BIOTA-FAPESP program in Brazil.