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A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2020) | Viewed by 62973

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Dr. Daniela Giordano

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Institute of Biosciences and BioResources (IBBR), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Pietro Castellino 111, I-80131 Naples, Italy
Interests: antarctic and arctic marine environments; bacteria; fish; sponges; marine natural products; marine peptides/proteins; protein structure/function; hemoproteins; marine antioxidants; marine anti-UV; functional ingredients; cosmeceuticals; PUFA
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Dear Colleagues,

In a time of major changes in our society, it is essential to turn our attention to the sea to find additional solutions for a sustainable future. In this context, marine organisms living in complex habitats exposed to extreme conditions are drawing attention to drug discovery as new sources for bioactive compounds. Extreme environments experience steady or fluctuating exposure to one or more environmental stressors, for example, temperature, salinity, osmolarity, UV radiation, pressure, or pH. In marine ecosystems, these habitats are important “hot spots” of microbial, metazoan, and symbiotic diversity. Organisms from marine extreme environments have developed unique survival strategies for growing and reproducing under such harsh conditions. Under these circumstances, bioactive compounds are of major relevance for species survival and success. For these reasons, extreme marine environments are expected to harbour unique biological communities that can biosynthesise novel bioactive compounds, potentially valuable for many applications, including human health and pharmaceutical sectors, as natural ingredients for fine chemical products (e.g., cosmetics), for bioremediation, etc.

Research on extreme environments often requires specialised methodologies, sophisticated equipment, and complex and expensive infrastructure, as well as access. Recent technological developments have made these areas more accessible and, currently, research on life is growing fast. However, biodiversity in these environments is still largely unknown, despite the fact that they are a highly promising reservoir for the discovery of bioactive molecules.

The aim of the Special Issue “Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments” is to collect studies on bioactive compounds from organisms inhabiting such marine habitats, increasing our knowledge of biological resources in terms of (i) biodiversity, (ii) bioprospecting, and (iii) molecular and enzymatic mechanisms displayed by novel molecules, to be used in biotechnological discovery pipelines and pharmaceutical applications.

I would like to invite scientists working in this field to highlight their important contribution to the scientific community by means of reviews, regular research papers, or short notes on marine natural products from, for example, cold/deep sea, marine hydrothermal vents, and areas of high pressure or high salinity, and all other marine environments considered extremes.

Dr. Daniela Giordano
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Marine Drugs is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2900 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

Marine natural products
Bioactive molecules
Metabolites
Enzymes
Peptides
Extreme environments
Polar regions
Deep sea
Hydrothermal vents

Related Special Issues

Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments II in Marine Drugs (13 articles)
Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments III in Marine Drugs (4 articles)

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review, Other

13 pages, 2624 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biochemical and Genomic Characterization of the Cypermethrin-Degrading and Biosurfactant-Producing Bacterial Strains Isolated from Marine Sediments of the Chilean Northern Patagonia

by Patricia Aguila-Torres, Jonathan Maldonado, Alexis Gaete, Jaime Figueroa, Alex González, Richard Miranda, Roxana González-Stegmaier, Carolina Martin and Mauricio González

Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(5), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18050252 - 13 May 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4151

Abstract

Pesticides cause severe environmental damage to marine ecosystems. In the last ten years, cypermethrin has been extensively used as an antiparasitic pesticide in the salmon farming industry located in Northern Patagonia. The objective of this study was the biochemical and genomic characterization of cypermethrin-degrading and biosurfactant-producing bacterial strains isolated from cypermethrin-contaminated marine sediment samples collected in southern Chile (MS). Eleven strains were isolated by cypermethrin enrichment culture techniques and were identified by 16S rDNA gene sequencing analyses. The highest growth rate on cypermethrin was observed in four isolates (MS13, MS15a, MS16, and MS19) that also exhibited high levels of biosurfactant production. Genome sequence analyses of these isolates revealed the presence of genes encoding components of bacterial secondary metabolism, and the enzymes esterase, pyrethroid hydrolase, and laccase, which have been associated with different biodegradation pathways of cypermethrin. These novel cypermethrin-degrading and biosurfactant-producing bacterial isolates have a biotechnological potential for biodegradation of cypermethrin-contaminated marine sediments, and their genomes contribute to the understanding of microbial lifestyles in these extreme environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments)

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17 pages, 3378 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The First Genome Survey of the Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba) Provides a Valuable Genetic Resource for Polar Biomedical Research

by Yuting Huang, Chao Bian, Zhaoqun Liu, Lingling Wang, Changhu Xue, Hongliang Huang, Yunhai Yi, Xinxin You, Wei Song, Xiangzhao Mao, Linsheng Song and Qiong Shi

Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(4), 185; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18040185 - 31 Mar 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3559

Abstract

The world-famous Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) plays a fundamental role in the Antarctic food chain. It resides in cold environments with the most abundant biomass to support the Antarctic ecology and fisheries. Here, we performed the first genome survey of the Antarctic krill, with genomic evidence for its estimated genome size of 42.1 gigabases (Gb). Such a large genome, however, is beyond our present capability to obtain a good assembly, although our sequencing data are a valuable genetic resource for subsequent polar biomedical research. We extracted 13 typical protein-coding gene sequences of the mitochondrial genome and analyzed simple sequence repeats (SSRs), which are useful for species identification and origin determination. Meanwhile, we conducted a high-throughput comparative identification of putative antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and antihypertensive peptides (AHTPs) from whole-body transcriptomes of the Antarctic krill and its well-known counterpart, the whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei; resident in warm waters). Related data revealed that AMPs/AMP precursors and AHTPs were generally conserved, with interesting variations between the two crustacean species. In summary, as the first report of estimated genome size of the Antarctic krill, our present genome survey data provide a foundation for further biological research into this polar species. Our preliminary investigations on bioactive peptides will bring a new perspective for the in-depth development of novel marine drugs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments)

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13 pages, 1882 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis of Bioactive Silver Nanoparticles by a Pseudomonas Strain Associated with the Antarctic Psychrophilic Protozoon Euplotes focardii

by Maria Sindhura John, Joseph Amruthraj Nagoth, Kesava Priyan Ramasamy, Alessio Mancini, Gabriele Giuli, Antonino Natalello, Patrizia Ballarini, Cristina Miceli and Sandra Pucciarelli

Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(1), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18010038 - 03 Jan 2020

Cited by 94 | Viewed by 4670

Abstract

The synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by microorganisms recently gained a greater interest due to its potential to produce them in various sizes and morphologies. In this study, for AgNP biosynthesis, we used a new Pseudomonas strain isolated from a consortium associated with the Antarctic marine ciliate Euplotes focardii. After incubation of Pseudomonas cultures with 1 mM of AgNO₃ at 22 °C, we obtained AgNPs within 24 h. Scanning electron (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed spherical polydispersed AgNPs in the size range of 20–70 nm. The average size was approximately 50 nm. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) showed the presence of a high intensity absorption peak at 3 keV, a distinctive property of nanocrystalline silver products. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy found the presence of a high amount of AgNP-stabilizing proteins and other secondary metabolites. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed a face-centred cubic (fcc) diffraction spectrum with a crystalline nature. A comparative study between the chemically synthesized and Pseudomonas AgNPs revealed a higher antibacterial activity of the latter against common nosocomial pathogen microorganisms, including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. This study reports an efficient, rapid synthesis of stable AgNPs by a new Pseudomonas strain with high antimicrobial activity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments)

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10 pages, 2610 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of Carotenoid Biosynthesis in Newly Isolated Deinococcus sp. AJ005 and Investigation of the Effects of Environmental Conditions on Cell Growth and Carotenoid Biosynthesis

by Jun Young Choi, Kunjoong Lee and Pyung Cheon Lee

Mar. Drugs 2019, 17(12), 705; https://doi.org/10.3390/md17120705 - 14 Dec 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2773

Abstract

Our purpose was to characterize the structures of deinoxanthin from Deinococcus sp. AJ005. The latter is a novel reddish strain and was found to synthesize two main acyclic carotenoids: deinoxanthin and its derivative. The derivative (2-keto-deinoxanthin) contains a 2-keto functional group instead of a 2-hydroxyl group on a β-ionone ring. A deinoxanthin biosynthesis pathway of Deinococcus sp. AJ005 involving eight putative enzymes was proposed according to genome annotation analysis and chemical identification of deinoxanthin. Optimal culture pH and temperature for Deinococcus sp. AJ005 growth were pH 7.4 and 20 °C. Sucrose as a carbon source significantly enhanced the cell growth in comparison with glucose, glycerol, maltose, lactose, and galactose. When batch fermentation was performed in a bioreactor containing 40g/L sucrose, total carotenoid production was 650% higher than that in a medium without sucrose supplementation. The culture conditions found in this study should provide the basis for the development of fermentation strategies for the production of deinoxanthin and of its derivative by means of Deinococcus sp. AJ005. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments)

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16 pages, 4251 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Cold-Adapted Chitinase-Producing Bacterium from Antarctica and Its Potential in Biocontrol of Plant Pathogenic Fungi

by Kezhen Liu, Haitao Ding, Yong Yu and Bo Chen

Mar. Drugs 2019, 17(12), 695; https://doi.org/10.3390/md17120695 - 10 Dec 2019

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 4384

Abstract

To obtain chitinase-producing microorganisms with high chitinolytic activity at low temperature, samples collected from Fildes Peninsula in Antarctica were used as sources for bioprospecting of chitinolytic microorganisms. A cold-adapted strain, designated as GWSMS-1, was isolated from marine sediment and further characterized as Pseudomonas. To improve the chitinase production, one-factor-at-a-time and orthogonal test approaches were adopted to optimize the medium components and culture conditions. The results showed that the highest chitinolytic activity (6.36 times higher than that before optimization) was obtained with 95.41 U L⁻¹ with 15 g L⁻¹ of glucose, 1 g L⁻¹ of peptone, 15 g L⁻¹ of colloid chitin and 0.25 g L⁻¹ of magnesium ions contained in the medium, cultivated under pH 7.0 and a temperature of 20 °C. To better understand the application potential of this strain, the enzymatic properties and the antifungal activity of the crude chitinase secreted by the strain were further investigated. The crude enzyme showed the maximum catalytic activity at 35 °C and pH 4.5, and it also exhibited excellent low-temperature activity, which still displayed more than 50% of its maximal activity at 0 °C. Furthermore, the crude chitinase showed significant inhibition of fungi Verticillium dahlia CICC 2534 and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum CICC 2532, which can cause cotton wilt and cucumber blight, respectively, suggesting that strain GWSMS-1 could be a competitive candidate for biological control in agriculture, especially at low temperature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments)

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19 pages, 3992 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Discorhabdin Alkaloids from the Antarctic Deep-Sea Sponge Latrunculia biformis

by Fengjie Li, Christian Peifer, Dorte Janussen and Deniz Tasdemir

Mar. Drugs 2019, 17(8), 439; https://doi.org/10.3390/md17080439 - 25 Jul 2019

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 4712

Abstract

The sponge genus Latrunculia is a prolific source of discorhabdin type pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloids. In the continuation of our research interest into this genus, we studied the Antarctic deep-sea sponge Latrunculia biformis that showed potent in vitro anticancer activity. A targeted isolation process guided by bioactivity and molecular networking-based metabolomics yielded three known discorhabdins, (−)-discorhabdin L (1), (+)-discorhabdin A (2), (+)-discorhabdin Q (3), and three new discorhabdin analogs (−)-2-bromo-discorhabdin D (4), (−)-1-acetyl-discorhabdin L (5), and (+)-1-octacosatrienoyl-discorhabdin L (6) from the MeOH-soluble portion of the organic extract. The chemical structures of 1–6 were elucidated by extensive NMR, HR-ESIMS, FT-IR, [α]_D, and ECD (Electronic Circular Dichroism) spectroscopy analyses. Compounds 1, 5, and 6 showed promising anticancer activity with IC₅₀ values of 0.94, 2.71, and 34.0 µM, respectively. Compounds 1–6 and the enantiomer of 1 ((+)-discorhabdin L, 1e) were docked to the active sites of two anticancer targets, topoisomerase I-II and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1), to reveal, for the first time, the binding potential of discorhabdins to these proteins. Compounds 5 and 6 are the first discorhabdin analogs with an ester function at C-1 and 6 is the first discorhabdin bearing a long-chain fatty acid at this position. This study confirms Latrunculia sponges to be excellent sources of chemically diverse discorhabdin alkaloids. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments)

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Review

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32 pages, 1615 KiB

Open AccessReview

Deep Hypersaline Anoxic Basins as Untapped Reservoir of Polyextremophilic Prokaryotes of Biotechnological Interest

by Stefano Varrella, Michael Tangherlini and Cinzia Corinaldesi

Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(2), 91; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18020091 - 30 Jan 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4675

Abstract

Deep-sea hypersaline anoxic basins (DHABs) are considered to be among the most extreme ecosystems on our planet, allowing only the life of polyextremophilic organisms. DHABs’ prokaryotes exhibit extraordinary metabolic capabilities, representing a hot topic for microbiologists and biotechnologists. These are a source of enzymes and new secondary metabolites with valuable applications in different biotechnological fields. Here, we review the current knowledge on prokaryotic diversity in DHABs, highlighting the biotechnological applications of identified taxa and isolated species. The discovery of new species and molecules from these ecosystems is expanding our understanding of life limits and is expected to have a strong impact on biotechnological applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments)

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33 pages, 2475 KiB

Open AccessReview

Halophiles and Their Biomolecules: Recent Advances and Future Applications in Biomedicine

by Paulina Corral, Mohammad A. Amoozegar and Antonio Ventosa

Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(1), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18010033 - 30 Dec 2019

Cited by 83 | Viewed by 10502

Abstract

The organisms thriving under extreme conditions better than any other organism living on Earth, fascinate by their hostile growing parameters, physiological features, and their production of valuable bioactive metabolites. This is the case of microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, and fungi) that grow optimally at high salinities and are able to produce biomolecules of pharmaceutical interest for therapeutic applications. As along as the microbiota is being approached by massive sequencing, novel insights are revealing the environmental conditions on which the compounds are produced in the microbial community without more stress than sharing the same substratum with their peers, the salt. In this review are reported the molecules described and produced by halophilic microorganisms with a spectrum of action in vitro: antimicrobial and anticancer. The action mechanisms of these molecules, the urgent need to introduce alternative lead compounds and the current aspects on the exploitation and its limitations are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments)

15 pages, 4139 KiB

Open AccessReview

Deep-Sea Fungi Could Be the New Arsenal for Bioactive Molecules

by Muhammad Zain ul Arifeen, Yu-Nan Ma, Ya-Rong Xue and Chang-Hong Liu

Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18010009 - 20 Dec 2019

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 4756

Abstract

Growing microbial resistance to existing drugs and the search for new natural products of pharmaceutical importance have forced researchers to investigate unexplored environments, such as extreme ecosystems. The deep-sea (>1000 m below water surface) has a variety of extreme environments, such as deep-sea sediments, hydrothermal vents, and deep-sea cold region, which are considered to be new arsenals of natural products. Organisms living in the extreme environments of the deep-sea encounter harsh conditions, such as high salinity, extreme pH, absence of sun light, low temperature and oxygen, high hydrostatic pressure, and low availability of growth nutrients. The production of secondary metabolites is one of the strategies these organisms use to survive in such harsh conditions. Fungi growing in such extreme environments produce unique secondary metabolites for defense and communication, some of which also have clinical significance. Despite being the producer of many important bioactive molecules, deep-sea fungi have not been explored thoroughly. Here, we made a brief review of the structure, biological activity, and distribution of secondary metabolites produced by deep-sea fungi in the last five years. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments)

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16 pages, 265 KiB

Open AccessReview

Properties and Applications of Extremozymes from Deep-Sea Extremophilic Microorganisms: A Mini Review

by Min Jin, Yingbao Gai, Xun Guo, Yanping Hou and Runying Zeng

Mar. Drugs 2019, 17(12), 656; https://doi.org/10.3390/md17120656 - 21 Nov 2019

Cited by 89 | Viewed by 7905

Abstract

The deep sea, which is defined as sea water below a depth of 1000 m, is one of the largest biomes on the Earth, and is recognised as an extreme environment due to its range of challenging physical parameters, such as pressure, salinity, temperature, chemicals and metals (such as hydrogen sulphide, copper and arsenic). For surviving in such extreme conditions, deep-sea extremophilic microorganisms employ a variety of adaptive strategies, such as the production of extremozymes, which exhibit outstanding thermal or cold adaptability, salt tolerance and/or pressure tolerance. Owing to their great stability, deep-sea extremozymes have numerous potential applications in a wide range of industries, such as the agricultural, food, chemical, pharmaceutical and biotechnological sectors. This enormous economic potential combined with recent advances in sampling and molecular and omics technologies has led to the emergence of research regarding deep-sea extremozymes and their primary applications in recent decades. In the present review, we introduced recent advances in research regarding deep-sea extremophiles and the enzymes they produce and discussed their potential industrial applications, with special emphasis on thermophilic, psychrophilic, halophilic and piezophilic enzymes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments)

36 pages, 1065 KiB

Open AccessReview

Enzymes from Marine Polar Regions and Their Biotechnological Applications

by Stefano Bruno, Daniela Coppola, Guido di Prisco, Daniela Giordano and Cinzia Verde

Mar. Drugs 2019, 17(10), 544; https://doi.org/10.3390/md17100544 - 23 Sep 2019

Cited by 66 | Viewed by 6465

Abstract

The microorganisms that evolved at low temperatures express cold-adapted enzymes endowed with unique catalytic properties in comparison to their mesophilic homologues, i.e., higher catalytic efficiency, improved flexibility, and lower thermal stability. Cold environments are therefore an attractive research area for the discovery of enzymes to be used for investigational and industrial applications in which such properties are desirable. In this work, we will review the literature on cold-adapted enzymes specifically focusing on those discovered in the bioprospecting of polar marine environments, so far largely neglected because of their limited accessibility. We will discuss their existing or proposed biotechnological applications within the framework of the more general applications of cold-adapted enzymes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments)

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Other

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7 pages, 213 KiB

Open AccessCommentary

Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments

by Daniela Giordano

Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(12), 640; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18120640 - 14 Dec 2020

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 3507

Abstract

Marine organisms inhabiting extreme habitats are a promising reservoir of bioactive compounds for drug discovery. Extreme environments, i.e., polar and hot regions, deep sea, hydrothermal vents, marine areas of high pressure or high salinity, experience conditions close to the limit of life. In these marine ecosystems, “hot spots” of biodiversity, organisms have adopted a huge variety of strategies to cope with such harsh conditions, such as the production of bioactive molecules potentially valuable for biotechnological applications and for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical sectors. Many enzymes isolated from extreme environments may be of great interest in the detergent, textile, paper and food industries. Marine natural products produced by organisms evolved under hostile conditions exhibit a wide structural diversity and biological activities. In fact, they exert antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of this Special Issue “Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments” was to provide the most recent findings on bioactive molecules as well as enzymes isolated from extreme environments, to be used in biotechnological discovery pipelines and pharmaceutical applications, in an effort to encourage further research in these extreme habitats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments)

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