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Plants
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Secondary Metabolites from Lichens and Biological Activity
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Secondary Metabolites from Lichens and Biological Activity

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 12314

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Martin Backor

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Guest Editor
Department of Botany, Institute of Biology and Ecology, P. J. Safarik University in Kosice, Manesova 23, 041 67 Kosice, Slovakia
Interests: lichens; algae; mosses; abiotic stress; heavy metals; secondary metabolism of lichens; polar ecology of lower plants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Michal Goga

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Botany, Institute of Biology and Ecology, P. J. Safarik University in Kosice, Manesova 23, 041 67 Kosice, Slovakia
Interests: lichens; mosses; stress physiology; isolation and identification of natural compounds; phenols; secondary metabolism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Dajana Ručová

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Guest Editor
Department of Botany, Institute of Biology and Ecology, P. J. Safarik University in Kosice, Manesova 23, 041 67 Kosice, Slovakia
Interests: lichens; mosses; abiotic stress; secondary metabolism; biactivity; chromatography; ecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Within fungi, mycorrhizae and lichenism are the most typical examples of mutualistic symbioses. Lichen-forming fungi (mycobionts) have a relatively well defined body, or thallus, within which photosynthetic algal and/or cyanobacterial symbionts (photobionts) are cultivated.

Lichens are the dominant vegetation of approximately 8% of terrestrial ecosystems and are typically found in environments subject to extremes, such as temperature, desiccation and nutrient status. One of the most fascinating results of symbiosis between mycobionts and photobionts is the production of more than 1000 specific compounds, mostly restricted to this group of organisms.

Typical secondary metabolites of lichens (historically known as lichen acids) are secreted by the fungal partner. These are deposited mainly as crystals on the surface of mycobiont hyphae, including dibenzofuran derivatives, depsides, and depsidones. Lichen substances have many ecological roles, including mainly antimicrobial activity, antiherbivory, allelopathy, protection against UV radiation and are also involved in rock mineralization and pedogenesis. Lichen substances are known as chelators of cations, which also include heavy metals. Lichen secondary metabolites are recently frequently involved in studies focused on their pharmaceutical potential.   

Despite the amazing amount of rapidly accumulating information on the biological and ecological role of lichen secendary metabolites, there are still open questions and challenges related to this fascinating field.

Therefore, in this Special Issue, articles (original research papers, perspectives, hypotheses, opinions, reviews, modelling approaches and methods) that focus on biological and ecological roles of secondary metabolites of lichens are most welcome.

Prof. Martin Backor
Dr. Dajana Ručová
Dr. Michal Goga
Guest Editors

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. Plants 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 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

  • secondary metabolites of lichens
  • allelopathy
  • antiherbivory
  • UV protection
  • metal chelating
  • regulation of lichen symbiosis
  • chemical ecology of lichens

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 1667 KiB  
Article
Phytochemical Analysis, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Cytotoxic Activity of Different Extracts of Xanthoparmelia stenophylla Lichen from Stara Planina, Serbia
by Aleksandar Kocovic, Jovana Jeremic, Jovana Bradic, Miroslav Sovrlic, Jovica Tomovic, Perica Vasiljevic, Marijana Andjic, Nevena Draginic, Mirjana Grujovic, Katarina Mladenovic, Dejan Baskic, Suzana Popovic, Sanja Matic, Vladimir Zivkovic, Nevena Jeremic, Vladimir Jakovljevic and Nedeljko Manojlovic
Plants 2022, 11(13), 1624; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11131624 - 21 Jun 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1942
Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify some of the secondary metabolites present in acetonic, methanolic, and hexanic extracts of lichen Xanthoparmelia stenophylla and to examine their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activity. Compounds of the depsid structure of lecanoric acid, obtusic acid, [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to identify some of the secondary metabolites present in acetonic, methanolic, and hexanic extracts of lichen Xanthoparmelia stenophylla and to examine their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activity. Compounds of the depsid structure of lecanoric acid, obtusic acid, and atranorin as well as usnic acid with a dibenzofuran structure were identified in the extracts by HPLC. The acetone extract was shown to have the highest total phenolic (167.03 ± 1.12 mg GAE/g) and total flavonoid content (178.84 ± 0.93 mg QE/g) as well as the best antioxidant activity (DPPH IC50 = 81.22 ± 0.54). However, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm tests showed the best activity of hexanic extract, especially against strains of B. cereus, B. subtilis, and S. aureus (MIC < 0.08, and 0.3125 mg/mL, respectively). Additionally, by using the MTT method, the acetonic extract was reported to exhibit a strong cytotoxic effect on the HeLa and HCT-116 cell lines, especially after 72 h (IC50 = 21.17 ± 1.85 and IC50 = 21.48 ± 3.55, respectively). The promising antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic effects of Xanthoparmelia stenophylla extracts shown in the current study should be further investigated in vivo and under clinical conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Secondary Metabolites from Lichens and Biological Activity)
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14 pages, 1551 KiB  
Article
A Comparative Study of Isolated Secondary Metabolites from Lichens and Their Antioxidative Properties
by Ján Elečko, Mária Vilková, Richard Frenák, Deepti Routray, Dajana Ručová, Martin Bačkor and Michal Goga
Plants 2022, 11(8), 1077; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11081077 - 15 Apr 2022
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2074
Abstract
Free radicals play a critical role in the chemical processes that occur in all cells. Pharmaceutical companies manufacture a variety of synthetically prepared antioxidants, but it is known that many of these can be carcinogenic. As a result, efforts are being made to [...] Read more.
Free radicals play a critical role in the chemical processes that occur in all cells. Pharmaceutical companies manufacture a variety of synthetically prepared antioxidants, but it is known that many of these can be carcinogenic. As a result, efforts are being made to find natural antioxidants that do not have these side effects. Lichens may be suitable candidates because they contain secondary metabolites with proven antioxidant properties. This could be explained by the presence of compounds with phenolic groups in lichens. The radical scavenging reaction is a chemical reaction governed by stoichiometry, and our aim is to determine the efficacy of these reactions. The aim of this study is to compare metabolite activity based on the same amount of substance involved in radical scavenging, calculated in micromoles rather than weight concentration. This provides an accurate way of comparing radical scavenging activity. We tested superoxide anion scavenging activity and free radical scavenging activity of isolated lichen secondary metabolites and their mixtures in different ratios. The following compounds were isolated and tested for antioxidant activity: gyrophoric acid (Umbilicaria hirsuta), evernic acid (Evernia prunastri), physodic acid, 3-hydroxyphysodic acid, physodalic acid and atranorin (Hypogymnia physodes), and usnic acid (as a synthetic compound). Of all the tested compounds, 3-hydroxyphysodic acid, as well as mixtures containing this metabolite, showed the strongest scavenging activity. The results also demonstrated that calculation by amount of substance leads to a new consideration of antioxidant activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Secondary Metabolites from Lichens and Biological Activity)
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21 pages, 729 KiB  
Article
Elemental Analysis and In Vitro Evaluation of Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Usnea barbata (L.) Weber ex F.H. Wigg from Călimani Mountains, Romania
by Violeta Popovici, Laura Bucur, Suzana Ioana Calcan, Elena Iulia Cucolea, Teodor Costache, Dan Rambu, Verginica Schröder, Cerasela Elena Gîrd, Daniela Gherghel, Gabriela Vochita, Aureliana Caraiane and Victoria Badea
Plants 2022, 11(1), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11010032 - 23 Dec 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3904
Abstract
This study aims to complete our research on Usnea barbata (L.) Weber ex F.H. Wigg (U. barbata) from the Călimani Mountains, Romania, with an elemental analysis and to explore its antibacterial and antifungal potential. Thus, we analyzed twenty-three metals (Ca, Fe, [...] Read more.
This study aims to complete our research on Usnea barbata (L.) Weber ex F.H. Wigg (U. barbata) from the Călimani Mountains, Romania, with an elemental analysis and to explore its antibacterial and antifungal potential. Thus, we analyzed twenty-three metals (Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Zn, Al, Ag, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Li, Ni, Tl, V, Mo, Pd, Pt, Sb, As, Pb, Cd, and Hg) in dried U. barbata lichen (dUB) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). For the second study, we performed dried lichen extraction with five different solvents (ethyl acetate, acetone, ethanol, methanol, and water), obtaining five U. barbata dry extracts (UBDE). Then, using an adapted disc diffusion method (DDM), we examined their antimicrobial activity against seven bacterial species—four Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus casseliflavus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Streptococcus pneumoniae) and three Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa)—and two fungi species (Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis). Usnic acid (UA) was used as a positive control. The ICP-MS data showed a considerable Ca content (979.766 µg/g), followed by, in decreasing order, Mg, Mn, Al, Fe, and Zn. Other elements had low levels: Ba, Cu, Pb, and Cr (3.782–1.002 µg/g); insignificant amounts (<1 µg/g) of Hg and V were also found in dUB. The trace elements Ag, As, Cd, Co, Li, Tl, Mo, Pd, Pt, and Sb were below detection limits (<0.1 µg/g). The DDM results—expressed as the size (mm) of the inhibition zone diameter (IZs)—proved that the water extract did not have any inhibitory activity on any pathogens (IZs = 0 mm). Gram-positive bacteria displayed the most significant susceptibility to all other UBDE, with Enterococcus casseliflavus showing the highest level (IZs = 20–22 mm). The most susceptible Gram-negative bacterium was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (IZs = 16–20 mm); the others were insensitive to all U. barbata dry extracts (IZs = 0 mm). The inhibitory activity of UBDE and UA on Candida albicans was slightly higher than on Candida parapsilosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Secondary Metabolites from Lichens and Biological Activity)
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Review

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14 pages, 1146 KiB  
Review
From Past to Present: Biotechnology in Mexico Using Algae and Fungi
by Alvaro De Obeso Fernandez Del Valle and Christian Quintus Scheckhuber
Plants 2021, 10(11), 2530; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10112530 - 20 Nov 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3196
Abstract
Algae and fungi share a rich history in the fields of basic and applied natural science. In biotechnology, in particular, algae and fungi are of paramount importance, due to the production and development of valuable compounds, such as pharmaceuticals, enzymes, and biofuels. They [...] Read more.
Algae and fungi share a rich history in the fields of basic and applied natural science. In biotechnology, in particular, algae and fungi are of paramount importance, due to the production and development of valuable compounds, such as pharmaceuticals, enzymes, and biofuels. They are also used in waste fermentation, biocontrol of pathogens, and food processing and improvement, among other fields. Although a substantial number of different microorganisms are utilized for these purposes, there lies tremendous potential in uncharacterized microbial species. For this reason, biodiversity hotspots offer a wealth of potential in the discovery of new products and processing strategies based on these microorganisms. This review presents an overview of the use of algae and fungi in pre-Hispanic times/modern-day Mexico for the benefits of mankind. One of our objectives is to raise awareness about the potential of developing research projects for identification and biotechnological utilization of algae and fungi in a megadiverse country, such as Mexico. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Secondary Metabolites from Lichens and Biological Activity)
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