This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Open AccessReview
Halocins and C50 Carotenoids from Haloarchaea: Potential Natural Tools against Cancer
by
Rosa María Martínez-Espinosa
Rosa María Martínez-Espinosa 1,2
1
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Edaphology and Agricultural Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Alicante, Ap. 99, E-03080 Alicante, Spain
2
Multidisciplinary Institute for Environmental Studies “Ramón Margalef”, University of Alicante, Ap. 99, E-03080 Alicante, Spain
Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(10), 448; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22100448 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 18 August 2024
/
Revised: 27 September 2024
/
Accepted: 28 September 2024
/
Published: 29 September 2024
Abstract
Haloarchaea are a group of moderate and extreme halophilic microorganisms, belonging to the Archaea domain, that constitute relevant microbial communities in salty environments like coastal and inland salted ponds, marshes, salty lagoons, etc. They can survive in stress conditions such as high salinity and, therefore, high ionic strength, high doses of ultraviolet radiation (UV), high temperature, and extreme pH values. Consequently, most of the species can be considered polyextremophiles owing to their ability to respond to the multiple extreme conditions characterizing their natural habitats. They cope with those stresses thanks to several molecular and metabolic adaptations. Thus, some of the molecules produced by haloarchaea show significantly different biological activities and physicochemical properties compared to their bacterial counterparts. Recent studies have revealed promising applications in biotechnology and medicine for these biomolecules. Among haloarchaeal biomolecules, rare natural pigments (C50 carotenoids) and small peptides called halocins and microhalocins have attracted attention worldwide due to their effects on animal and human commercial tumoral cells, apart from the role as antibiotics described for halocins or the immunomodulatory activity reported from C50 carotenoids like bacterioruberin. This review summarizes recent knowledge on these two types of biomolecules in connection with cancer to shed new light on the design of drugs and new therapies based on natural compounds.
Share and Cite
MDPI and ACS Style
Martínez-Espinosa, R.M.
Halocins and C50 Carotenoids from Haloarchaea: Potential Natural Tools against Cancer. Mar. Drugs 2024, 22, 448.
https://doi.org/10.3390/md22100448
AMA Style
Martínez-Espinosa RM.
Halocins and C50 Carotenoids from Haloarchaea: Potential Natural Tools against Cancer. Marine Drugs. 2024; 22(10):448.
https://doi.org/10.3390/md22100448
Chicago/Turabian Style
Martínez-Espinosa, Rosa María.
2024. "Halocins and C50 Carotenoids from Haloarchaea: Potential Natural Tools against Cancer" Marine Drugs 22, no. 10: 448.
https://doi.org/10.3390/md22100448
Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details
here.
Article Metrics
Article metric data becomes available approximately 24 hours after publication online.