Extremophiles and Extremophilic Behaviour-New Insights and Perspectives.

Extremophiles, throughout evolutionary time, have evolved a plethora of unique strategies to overcome hardships associated with the environments they are found in. Modifying their genome, showing a bias towards certain amino acids, redesigning their proteins, and enhancing their membranes and other organelles with specialised chemical compounds are only some of those strategies. Scientists can utilise such attributes of theirs for a plethora of biotechnological and astrobiological applications.

Climate Change Dependence in Ex Situ Conservation of Wild Medicinal Plants in Crete, Greece.

Over 80% of the global population addresses their primary healthcare needs using traditional medicine based on medicinal plants. Consequently, there's a rising demand for these plants for both household and industrial use at local, regional, national, and international levels. However, wild harvesting has negatively impacted natural ecosystems.

Mining the ZINC database of natural products for specific, testosterone-like, OXER1 antagonists.

OXER1, the receptor for the oxidized arachidonic acid metabolite 5-oxo-ETE has been reported to play a significant role in inflammatory responses, being responsible for leucocyte chemotactic responses. Recently, we have identified OXER1 (GPR170) as a membrane receptor for androgens in prostate and breast cancer cells. Testosterone action via OXER1 induces specific Ca release from intracellular organelles, modifies polymerized actin distribution induces apoptosis and decreases cancer cell migration.

From Traditional Ethnopharmacology to Modern Natural Drug Discovery: A Methodology Discussion and Specific Examples.

Ethnopharmacology, through the description of the beneficial effects of plants, has provided an early framework for the therapeutic use of natural compounds. Natural products, either in their native form or after crude extraction of their active ingredients, have long been used by different populations and explored as invaluable sources for drug design. The transition from traditional ethnopharmacology to drug discovery has followed a straightforward path, assisted by the evolution of isolation and characterization methods, the increase in computational power, and the development of specific chemoinformatic methods.

Biological responses to heavy metal stress in the moss Leptodictyum riparium (Hedw.) Warnst.

Leptodictyum riparium, a widely distributed aquatic moss, can both tolerate and accumulate very high concentrations of toxic heavy metals, with only slight apparent damage. Here we report the effects on photosynthetic yield, glutathione (GSH), phytochelatin (PCn) synthesis, nitrogen metabolism and cellular localization of molecules rich in SH groups in L. riparium exposed in vitro to heavy metals.

New Antagonists of the Membrane Androgen Receptor OXER1 from the ZINC Natural Product Database.

OXER1 (oxoeicosanoid receptor 1) was deorphanized in 1993 and found to be the specific receptor for the arachidonic acid metabolite 5-oxo-ETE. Recently, we have reported that androgen binds to this receptor also, being a membrane androgen receptor, triggering a number of its membrane-mediated actions (cell migration, apoptosis, cell proliferation, Ca movements). In addition, our previous work suggested that a number of natural monomeric and oligomeric polyphenols interact with OXER1, acting similar to testosterone.

Biotechnology under extreme conditions: Lichens after extreme UVB radiation and extreme temperatures produce large amounts of hydrogen.

The present study demonstrates biotechnological applications of the lichen Pleurosticta acetabulum, specifically the production of large amounts of hydrogen even after the lichen exposure to extreme conditions such as a) extreme UVB radiation (1.7 mW/cm = 1000 J m min) over different time periods (4, 20 & 70 h) and b) combined exposure of the lichen to high intensity UVB radiation and extreme low (-196 °C) or extreme high temperatures (+70 °C). The results highlight that the extremophilic and polyextremophilic behavior of lichens both in dehydrated and in regenerated form, under extreme conditions not necessarily recorded on earth, is compatible with their biotechnological uses.

p-cymene impairs SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza A (H1N1) viral replication: In silico predicted interaction with SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein and H1N1 nucleoprotein.

Therapeutic regimens for the COVID-19 pandemics remain unmet. In this line, repurposing of existing drugs against known or predicted SARS-CoV-2 protein actions have been advanced, while natural products have also been tested. Here, we propose that p-cymene, a natural monoterpene, can act as a potential novel agent for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2-induced COVID-19 and other RNA-virus-induced diseases (influenza, rabies, Ebola).

Toxicity evaluation of an essential oil mixture from the Cretan herbs thyme, Greek sage and Cretan dittany.

The importance of herbal extracts on health, which was initially based on ethnopharmacological and traditional knowledge, becomes increasingly well documented by numerous experimental and intervention studies. The daily use of beverages from different aromatic plants which becomes more popular nowadays, has been a tradition in Crete, and a habit that has been linked to the longevity seen in the island. Additionally, a certain combination of aromatic plants has been used against common cold and influenza.

Intraspecific diversification of the crop wild relative Brassica cretica Lam. using demographic model selection.

Background: Crop wild relatives (CWRs) contain genetic diversity, representing an invaluable resource for crop improvement. Many of their traits have the potential to help crops to adapt to changing conditions that they experience due to climate change. An impressive global effort for the conservation of various CWR will facilitate their use in crop breeding for food security.

From wild harvest towards precision agriculture: Use of Ecological Niche Modelling to direct potential cultivation of wild medicinal plants in Crete.

Understanding the distribution of wild medicinal plants and areas that are suitable for cultivation of these plants is important for both conservation and agriculture. Here, we study ten taxa with known ethnopharmacological uses, which have been used extensively in traditional medicine and as culinary supplements. We aim to (1) predict and map the potential habitat suitability for these taxa across the study area, (2) investigate spatial patterns that could have management implications, such as niche similarities among the taxa and suitability "hotspots" with the use of novel indices, and (3) develop a platform where parts of this information can be accessed and utilized by all interested groups, from the policy-maker level to the individual practitioner level.

Variation in wild pea ( subsp. ) seed dormancy and its relationship to the environment and seed coat traits.

Background: Seed germination is one of the earliest key events in the plant life cycle. The timing of transition from seed to seedling is an important developmental stage determining the survival of individuals that influences the status of populations and species. Because of wide geographical distribution and occurrence in diverse habitats, wild pea ( subsp.

Lichen as Micro-Ecosystem: Extremophilic Behavior with Astrobiotechnological Applications.

This work demonstrates the tolerance of lichen Pleurosticta acetabulum under extreme conditions similar to those encountered in extraterrestrial environments. Specifically, the impact of three extreme Mars-like conditions-complete dehydration, extremely low temperature (-196°C/77K), and oxygen depletion-on lichens was investigated. The symbiosis of mycobiont and photobiont partners creates a micro-ecosystem that ensures viability of both symbiotic partners under prolonged desiccation and extremely low temperatures without any cultivation care.

Exogenous induction of thermogenesis in Arum concinnatum by salicylic acid.

Arum concinnatum Schott is a highly thermogenic species, with the temperature of the appendix exceeding ~10.9°C above the ambient temperature during thermogenesis, whereas the rates of respiration of the male florets in intact inflorescences peak at 0.92μmol s-1 g-1, which is the highest rate so far measured among the plants.

Author Correction: Genomic diversity and macroecology of the crop wild relatives of domesticated pea.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Correction: Genetic structure of wild pea (Pisum sativum subsp. elatius) populations in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent reflects moderate cross-pollination and strong effect of geographic but not environmental distance.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Genomic diversity and macroecology of the crop wild relatives of domesticated pea.

There is growing interest in the conservation and utilization of crop wild relatives (CWR) in international food security policy and research. Legumes play an important role in human health, sustainable food production, global food security, and the resilience of current agricultural systems. Pea belongs to the ancient set of cultivated plants of the Near East domestication center and remains an important crop today.

Post-market outcome of an extract of traditional Cretan herbs on upper respiratory tract infections: a pragmatic, prospective observational study.

Background: The beneficial effects of traditional herbs of Crete, Greece for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections have been reported in observational and laboratory studies. Following a published, double blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an extract of three Cretan herbs on the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections, upon its market release.

Methods: An observational study was conducted in Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

Environmental (in)dependence of a hybrid zone: Insights from molecular markers and ecological niche modeling in a hybrid zone of (Lamiaceae) on the island of Crete.

The role of environment and the relative significance of endogenous versus exogenous selection in shaping hybrid zones have been crucial issues in the studies of hybridization. Recent advances in ecological niche modeling (ENM) offer new methodological tools, especially in combination with the genotyping of individuals in the hybrid zone. Here, we study the hybrid zone between the widely known spices and ssp.

Chemical and genetic characterization of Phlomis species and wild hybrids in Crete.

The genus Phlomis is represented in the island of Crete (Greece, Eastern Mediterranean) by three species Phlomis cretica C. Presl., Phlomis fruticosa L.