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Biosynthesis and Applications of Natural Products

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2025 | Viewed by 1124

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
Interests: natural products; natural product biosynthesis; protein engineering; enzymology

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Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
Interests: infectious diseases; bacterial and fungal resistance; natural products; enzyme engineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Natural products (NPs) have played a critical role in drug discovery and development for nearly a century. Many NPs possess complex structures that provide high specificity and potency to their drug targets. However, this structural complexity often makes them difficult to reproduce or modify using conventional organic synthesis techniques. Consequently, exploring the biosynthetic pathways for NP production and harnessing them for biosynthetic or semisynthetic approaches is an attractive avenue for the diversification of existing NPs or even the generation of new “unnatural” NP-like molecules. The biosynthesis of NPs involves the orchestrated action of a variety of proteins. While understanding the protein function, structure, and interaction with other proteins or small molecules is essential, we are still at the beginning of this long journey.

Therefore, we welcome manuscripts that advance our understanding of the biosynthesis and applications of natural products. We are open to research papers, review papers, and comparative studies. Topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Discovery and characterization of new natural products;
  • Elucidation of biosynthetic gene clusters;
  • Functional and structural characterization of individual enzymes;
  • Total biosynthesis of natural products;
  • Engineering study of individual enzymes;
  • Combinatorial biosynthesis;
  • Chemoenzymatic synthesis;
  • Bioinformatics.

Dr. Shogo Mori
Dr. Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bioinformatics
  • biosynthesis
  • chemoenzyamtic synthesis
  • combinatorial biosynthesis
  • drug discovery
  • drug development
  • gene clusters
  • natural products
  • protein engineering
  • secondary metabolites

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2512 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Grinding Techniques on the Microstructural Properties of Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) Powder, Its Total Phenolics Before and After In Vitro Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion, and Its Antioxidant Capacity
by Tea Bilušić, Dora Runtić, Ivana Šola, Maja Benković, Ante Bilušić, Marija Ćosić and Dani Đorđević
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(13), 7448; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15137448 - 2 Jul 2025
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Abstract
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is a plant recognized as a valuable source of nutrients and bioactive compounds such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. This study investigates the effects of grinding techniques (knife, ball, and planetary ball mill) on the [...] Read more.
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is a plant recognized as a valuable source of nutrients and bioactive compounds such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. This study investigates the effects of grinding techniques (knife, ball, and planetary ball mill) on the properties of purslane powder (surface microstructure, particle size distribution, and color), their influence on the phenolic content in the extracts of purslane powder before and after in vitro simulated digestion process, and the antioxidant activity of the purslane extracts. The results showed that applied grinding techniques affected the particle size distribution and surface morphology of the powder, which in turn influenced the gastrointestinal stability of the dominant phenolic compounds in purslane powder extracts. The powder obtained via ball milling, characterized by the highest proportion of fine particles (x < 100 µm), showed the highest content of total phenolics (656 mg GAE/L). Ball milling resulted in high preservation of the dominant phenolic acids in the powder extract after simulated gastric and intestinal digestion (83.55% and 69.42%) and high free radical scavenging activity (DPPH and ABTS) and ferric reducing power (FRAP). The results obtained emphasize the nutritional and biological benefits of purslane in the form of a fine powder. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosynthesis and Applications of Natural Products)
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Review

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21 pages, 1816 KiB  
Review
Lignin Waste Valorization in the Bioeconomy Era: Toward Sustainable Innovation and Climate Resilience
by Alfonso Trezza, Linta Mahboob, Anna Visibelli, Michela Geminiani and Annalisa Santucci
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(14), 8038; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15148038 - 18 Jul 2025
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Abstract
Lignin, the most abundant renewable aromatic biopolymer on Earth, is rapidly emerging as a powerful enabler of next-generation sustainable technologies. This review shifts the focus to the latest industrial breakthroughs that exploit lignin’s multifunctional properties across energy, agriculture, healthcare, and environmental sectors. Lignin-derived [...] Read more.
Lignin, the most abundant renewable aromatic biopolymer on Earth, is rapidly emerging as a powerful enabler of next-generation sustainable technologies. This review shifts the focus to the latest industrial breakthroughs that exploit lignin’s multifunctional properties across energy, agriculture, healthcare, and environmental sectors. Lignin-derived carbon materials are offering scalable, low-cost alternatives to critical raw materials in batteries and supercapacitors. In agriculture, lignin-based biostimulants and controlled-release fertilizers support resilient, low-impact food systems. Cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries are leveraging lignin’s antioxidant, UV-protective, and antimicrobial properties to create bio-based, clean-label products. In water purification, lignin-based adsorbents are enabling efficient and biodegradable solutions for persistent pollutants. These technological leaps are not merely incremental, they represent a paradigm shift toward a materials economy powered by renewable carbon. Backed by global sustainability roadmaps like the European Green Deal and China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, lignin is moving from industrial residue to strategic asset, driven by unprecedented investment and cross-sector collaboration. Breakthroughs in lignin upgrading, smart formulation, and application-driven design are dismantling long-standing barriers to scale, performance, and standardization. As showcased in this review, lignin is no longer just a promising biopolymer, it is a catalytic force accelerating the global transition toward circularity, climate resilience, and green industrial transformation. The future of sustainable innovation is lignin-enabled. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosynthesis and Applications of Natural Products)
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Other

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15 pages, 1612 KiB  
Brief Report
A Simple High-Throughput Procedure for Microscale Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from the Flowers of Saint John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.)
by Mila Rusanova, Krasimir Rusanov, Marina Alekova, Liliya Georgieva, Pavlina Georgieva, Tzvetelina Zagorcheva and Ivan Atanassov
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(13), 7334; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15137334 - 30 Jun 2025
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Abstract
We report the development of a procedure for ultrasound-assisted microscale extraction of metabolites from the flowers of Saint John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.), designed for comparative metabolite analysis of plants from genetic resource collections and natural and segregating populations. The procedure involves [...] Read more.
We report the development of a procedure for ultrasound-assisted microscale extraction of metabolites from the flowers of Saint John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum L.), designed for comparative metabolite analysis of plants from genetic resource collections and natural and segregating populations. The procedure involves high-throughput methanol extraction of metabolites from ground-frozen flowers at a selected stage of flower development, which is carried out in a standard 2 mL Eppendorf tube. A total of 18 compounds, including chlorogenic acid, catechins, glycosylated flavonoids, hypericins, and hyperforin, were identified based on LC/DAD/QTOF analysis, of which 16 could be detected in the UV-Vis spectrum. Two alternative versions of the procedure were evaluated: the “single-flower” procedure, including repeated collection and analysis of single flowers from the tested plant, and the “bulk-flower” procedure, employing the collection of a bulk flower sample from the tested plant and analysis of a portion of the ground sample. The results showed excellent technical reproducibility of the “single-flower” procedure when used with the suggested combination of the peak areas for the proto- and stable forms of pseudohypericin and hypericin. Application of the developed “single-flower” procedure for comparison of the plants derived from seed progeny of the apomictic line Hp93 revealed significantly lower metabolite variation among the apomictic progeny plants compared to the variation observed among plants belonging to different genotypes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosynthesis and Applications of Natural Products)
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