Deciphering the Cyanobacterial Treasure: Investigating the Diversity and Biomedical Potential of Secondary Metabolites

Dear Colleagues,

Cyanobacteria are a unique class of photosynthetic microorganisms that can survive in generally all phototrophic aquatic environments, including recreational water bodies, fisheries, and reservoirs. Over the past two decades, worldwide attention has been given to the ecological effects of cyanobacteria and their production of secondary metabolites. In fact, they represent a not yet fully explored source of new lead compounds for drug discovery, such as dolastatins, cryptophycines, and curacins, which in turn have inspired the development of synthetic analogues with better bioactivity and pharmacokinetics. This Special Issue aims to bring together the most recent reviews and research papers related to the extraction, isolation, identification, and bioactivity of secondary metabolites from cyanobacteria and their potential uses as lead compounds in drug discovery.

Dr. Germana Esposito
Dr. Roberta Teta
Guest Editors

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• cyanobacteria
• secondary metabolites
• lead compounds
• isolation
• structural determination
• pharmacological activity