scholarly journals Symbioses of Cyanobacteria in Marine Environments: Ecological Insights and Biotechnological Perspectives

Marine Drugs ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 227
Author(s):  
Mirko Mutalipassi ◽  
Gennaro Riccio ◽  
Valerio Mazzella ◽  
Christian Galasso ◽  
Emanuele Somma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Discovery ◽  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Chemical Ecology ◽  
Metabolic Changes ◽  
Bioactive Molecules ◽  
Symbiotic Relationship ◽  
Marine Environments ◽  
Nitrogen Fixing ◽  
Ecological Functions ◽  
Symbiotic Relationships

Cyanobacteria are a diversified phylum of nitrogen-fixing, photo-oxygenic bacteria able to colonize a wide array of environments. In addition to their fundamental role as diazotrophs, they produce a plethora of bioactive molecules, often as secondary metabolites, exhibiting various biological and ecological functions to be further investigated. Among all the identified species, cyanobacteria are capable to embrace symbiotic relationships in marine environments with organisms such as protozoans, macroalgae, seagrasses, and sponges, up to ascidians and other invertebrates. These symbioses have been demonstrated to dramatically change the cyanobacteria physiology, inducing the production of usually unexpressed bioactive molecules. Indeed, metabolic changes in cyanobacteria engaged in a symbiotic relationship are triggered by an exchange of infochemicals and activate silenced pathways. Drug discovery studies demonstrated that those molecules have interesting biotechnological perspectives. In this review, we explore the cyanobacterial symbioses in marine environments, considering them not only as diazotrophs but taking into consideration exchanges of infochemicals as well and emphasizing both the chemical ecology of relationship and the candidate biotechnological value for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.

scholarly journals Species Diversity and Secondary Metabolites of Sarcophyton-Associated Marine Fungi

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 3227
Author(s):  
Yuanwei Liu ◽  
Kishneth Palaniveloo ◽  
Siti Aisyah Alias ◽  
Jaya Seelan Sathiya Seelan
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Soft Coral ◽  
Marine Fungi ◽  
Indole Alkaloids ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Soft Corals ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Symbiotic Relationships ◽  
Bioactive Secondary Metabolites

Soft corals are widely distributed across the globe, especially in the Indo-Pacific region, with Sarcophyton being one of the most abundant genera. To date, there have been 50 species of identified Sarcophyton. These soft corals host a diverse range of marine fungi, which produce chemically diverse, bioactive secondary metabolites as part of their symbiotic nature with the soft coral hosts. The most prolific groups of compounds are terpenoids and indole alkaloids. Annually, there are more bio-active compounds being isolated and characterised. Thus, the importance of the metabolite compilation is very much important for future reference. This paper compiles the diversity of Sarcophyton species and metabolites produced by their associated marine fungi, as well as the bioactivity of these identified compounds. A total of 88 metabolites of structural diversity are highlighted, indicating the huge potential these symbiotic relationships hold for future research.

scholarly journals NATURAL PRODUCTS: FROM TRADITIONAL MEDICINE TO LEAD COMPOUNDS FOR DRUG DEVELOPMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY

2021 ◽  
pp. 97-104
Author(s):  
Beatriz de las Heras Polo
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
Drug Discovery ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Bioactive Molecules ◽  
Computational Techniques ◽  
Design And Optimization ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Biological Tests

Natural products have historically contributed to drug discovery as a source of bioactive molecules, due to their great diversity and structural complexity. They have provided “lead” molecules for the development of drugs in different therapeutic areas, with a very prominent representation in the treatment of pain and inflammation, coagulation disorders, metabolic disorders, as well as in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. In recent decades there has been a paradigm shift in drug discovery strategies that has allowed the identification of new active natural products in therapeutic targets. Combinatorial Chemistry and biological tests (High Throughput Screening), together with the development of computational techniques, have contributed decisively to the design and optimization of libraries of natural product derivatives based on their biological activity. In parallel, technological advances in the field of Omics sciences and in data processing lead to a multidimensional approach in the drug discovery process. These powerful tools will allow the analysis of the pharmacological potential of natural products and their derivatives for the conversion of these molecules to active products with low toxicity. In the Precision Medicine era, natural products continue to be molecules with great potential in pharmaceutical development, since, unlike other therapeutic strategies, they have a favorable cost-benefit ratio, which will allow their future use in this discipline.

scholarly journals Hunting Bioactive Molecules from the Agave Genus: An Update on Extraction and Biological Potential

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (22) ◽  
pp. 6789
Author(s):  
Misael Bermúdez-Bazán ◽  
Gustavo Adolfo Castillo-Herrera ◽  
Judith Esmeralda Urias-Silvas ◽  
Antonio Escobedo-Reyes ◽  
Mirna Estarrón-Espinosa
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Waste Product ◽  
Bioactive Molecules ◽  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Therapeutic Benefits ◽  
Biological Potential ◽  
Novel Drugs ◽  
Ancient Times

Agaves are plants used in the production of alcoholic beverages and fibers. Ever since ancient times, pre-Hispanic cultures in Mexico have used them in traditional medicine to cure different ailments. Over the years, studies of the active principles responsible for the therapeutic benefits of agaves have increased. Leaves and fibers are the main agro-wastes generated in tequila and mezcal production, while fibers are the main waste product in the textile sector. Different investigations have referred to the agro-waste from agave processing as a source of bioactive molecules called secondary metabolites (SM). Among them, phenols, flavonoids, phytosterols, and saponins have been extracted, identified, and isolated from these plants. The role of these molecules in pest control and the prospect of metabolites with the biological potential to develop novel drugs for chronic and acute diseases represent new opportunities to add value to these agro-wastes. This review aims to update the biological activities and recent applications of the secondary metabolites of the genus Agave.

scholarly journals Plant Secondary Metabolism: Diversity, Function and its Evolution

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (8) ◽  
pp. 1934578X0800300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Wink
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Main Function ◽  
Symbiotic Relationships ◽  
Pathway Gene ◽  
Interesting Pattern ◽  
Differential Gene Regulation ◽  
Symbiotic Fungi ◽  
Differential Gene ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Occurrence Patterns

A typical character of plants is the production and storage of usually complex mixtures of secondary metabolites (SM). The main function of secondary metabolites is defense against herbivores and microbes; some SM are signal compounds to attract pollinating and seed dispersing animals or play a role in the symbiotic relationships with plants and microbes. The distribution of SM in the plant kingdom shows an interesting pattern. A specific SM is often confined to a particular systematic unit, but isolated occurrences can occur in widely unrelated taxonomic groups. This review tries to explain the patchy occurrence of SM in plants. It could be due to convergent evolution, but evidence is provided that the genes that encode the biosynthesis of SM appear to have a much wider distribution than the actual secondary metabolite. It seems to be rather a matter of differential gene regulation whether a pathway is active and expressed in a given taxonomic unit or not. It is speculated that the genes of some pathways derived from an early horizontal gene transfer from bacteria, which later became mitochondria and chloroplasts. These genes/pathways should be present in most if not all land plants. About 80% of plants live in close symbiotic relationships with symbiotic fungi (ectomycorrhiza, endophytes). Recent evidence is presented that these fungi can either directly produce SM, which were formerly considered as plant SM or that these fungi have transferred the corresponding pathway gene to the host plant. The fungal contribution could also explain part of the patchy occurrence patterns of several secondary metabolites.

Flow chemistry as a tool to access novel chemical space for drug discovery

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 1547-1563
Author(s):  
Enol López ◽  
María Lourdes Linares ◽  
Jesús Alcázar
Keyword(s):  
Drug Discovery ◽  
Medicinal Chemistry ◽  
Chemical Space ◽  
Flow Chemistry ◽  
Bioactive Molecules ◽  
Complex Molecules ◽  
Cycle Times

This perspective scrutinizes flow chemistry as a useful tool for medicinal chemists to expand the current chemical capabilities in drug discovery. This technology has demonstrated his value not only for the traditional reactions used in Pharma for the last 20 years, but also for bringing back to the lab underused chemistries to access novel chemical space. The combination with other technologies, such as photochemistry and electrochemistry, is opening new avenues for reactivity that will smoothen the access to complex molecules. The introduction of all these technologies in automated platforms will improve the productivity of medicinal chemistry labs reducing the cycle times to get novel and differentiated bioactive molecules, accelerating discovery cycle times.

Marine Genetic Resources. A Source of New Drugs The Experience of the Biotechnology Sector

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando de la Calle
Keyword(s):  
Drug Discovery ◽  
Genetic Resources ◽  
Dna Analysis ◽  
Marine Organisms ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Bioactive Molecules ◽  
Scale Production ◽  
Discovery Process ◽  
Drug Discovery Process ◽  
The Status

AbstractThis article provides an overview of the conversion of marine genetic resources into new drugs. Three marine organisms suitable for application in human health and steps in the drug discovery process are described. Specific supply problems resulting from the minute concentration of required compounds for medicine in the natural marine source are examined. Three case studies illustrate different strategies enabling an industrial-scale production: chemical synthesis, biotechnology and fermentation. Future concepts for marine scientific research which could lead to new medical applications are considered. Besides research in unexplored deep sea areas, the “metagenomic approach” particularly might lead to significant new achievements. This DNA analysis of marine organisms facilitates the drug discovery process because it requires significantly less marine material than current approaches. Because this process, starting with the search for bioactive molecules and continuing with the production of drug-like molecules before finally reaching the status of medicine, can take up to 20 years, the development of medicine is a very long and risky venture.

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