Aspergillus niger: A Hundred Years of Contribution to the Natural Products Chemistry

Aspergillus niger is a phytopathogenic fungus responsible for the plant disease called “black mold”, and it is considered the most versatile microorganism for producing acids, proteins, and enzymes of industrial value, besides a variety of compounds of pharmacological interest. This review presents a century of contribution of A. niger in the natural products chemistry under two different perspectives: (i) an overview of the structural diversity of secondary metabolites produced by A. niger from different habitats and their biological activities; (ii) a general discussion of the enzymatic potential of A. niger on the selective biotransformation of terpenes, highlighting the most uncommon microbial transformations.