Microbial-mediated synthesis of gold nanoparticles—current insights and future vistas

Nanotechnology is an emerging field with a multitude of applications in medicine, agriculture, and engineering. To date, several methods are used for the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles including chemical, physical, and green methods. The later method is preferred for the synthesis of NPs due to its safe nature, efficiency, and minimal toxicity. Recently, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been attracting attention due to their excellent biocompatibility and diverse medical applications. A diverse group of microorganisms or their metabolites (bacteria, fungi, and yeast) have been utilized to synthesize AuNPs from their respective bulk salts. This review focuses on the resources exploited for biosynthesis of AuNPs, the current understanding about their synthesis, and the emerging trends, along with their mechanistic antimicrobial and anticancer applications. This review also highlights the current challenges and future potential applications of AuNPs.