Phytotoxins from Threat to Cure: Structure Characterization and Action Mechanism in Drug Discovery
A special issue of Toxins (ISSN 2072-6651). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Toxins".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 212
Editor
Interests: microbial natural products; NMR; bioassays; molecular modeling; plant metabolites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Phytotoxins are poisonous substances that are toxic to plant or defensive toxins produced by plants and microorganisms. The worldwide contamination of food and feeds with phytotoxins is a significant problem. Despite being noxious metabolites that can be detrimental to human health when consumed in high amounts, they have been utilized as potentially useful instruments due to their biological activities, such as crop protection, drug development, cancer therapy, and genetic engineering. Chemically, phytotoxins focus on five classes of toxins: alkaloids, e.g., nicotine (from tobacco); phenolics, e.g., tannins (found in oak leaves); terpenoids, e.g., pyrethrin (from Chrysanthemum); glycosides, e.g., cyanogenic glycosides (from Cassava); and peptides, e.g., victorin, a well-known peptide toxin produced by the fungus Cochliobolus victoriae.
The target of converting these phytotoxins from threats into cures requires understanding their molecular structures, phenotypic effects, physiological effects, genetic approaches, and the proper use of in silico studies. Unequivocal determination of the molecular target site requires proof of activity on the function of the target protein, as well as proof that a resistant form of the target protein confers resistance to the target organism. Therefore, a better understanding of the mechanism of action of phytotoxins and metabolism is necessary to avoid problems caused by them and to minimize their negative effects on human health. To date, phytotoxins have inspired the development of numerous approved pharmaceuticals. In this context, we welcome experts and scholars from around the world to share their findings on the bioactivities exhibited by different phytotoxins.
Prof. Dr. Weaam Ebrahim
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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 double-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxins 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 2700 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
- phytotoxins
- metabolism
- structure elucidation
- bioassay
- mechanism of action
- drug discovery
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
