An important direction of research in increasing the effectiveness of cancer therapies is the design of effective drug distribution systems in the body. The development of the new strategies is primarily aimed at improving the stability of the drug after administration and increasing the precision of drug delivery to the destination. Due to the characteristic features of cancer cells, distributing chemotherapeutics exactly to the microenvironment of the tumor while sparing the healthy tissues is an important issue here. One of the promising solutions that would meet the above requirements is the use of Magnetotactic bacteria (MTBs) and their organelles, called magnetosomes (BMs). MTBs are commonly found in water reservoirs, and BMs that contain ferromagnetic crystals condition the magnetotaxis of these microorganisms. The presented work is a review of the current state of knowledge on the potential use of MTBs and BMs as nanocarriers in the therapy of cancer. The growing amount of literature data indicates that MTBs and BMs may be used as natural nanocarriers for chemotherapeutics, such as classic anti-cancer drugs, antibodies, vaccine DNA, and siRNA. Their use as transporters increases the stability of chemotherapeutics and allows the transfer of individual ligands or their combinations precisely to cancerous tumors, which, in turn, enables the drugs to reach molecular targets more effectively.

Objective: Regio- and stereoselective hydroxylation of lithocholic acid (LCA) using CYP107D1 (OleP), a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase from the oleandomycin synthesis pathway of Streptomyces antibioticus. Results: Co-expression of CYP107D1 from S. antibioticus and the reductase/ferredoxin system PdR/PdX from Pseudomonas putida was performed in Escherichia coli whole cells. In vivo hydroxylation of LCA exclusively yielded the 6β-OH product murideoxycholic acid (MDCA). In resting cells, 19.5% of LCA was converted to MDCA within 24 h, resulting in a space time yield of 0.04 mmol L⁻¹ h⁻¹. NMR spectroscopy confirmed the identity of MDCA as the sole product. Conclusions: The multifunctional P450 monooxygenase CYP107D1 (OleP) can hydroxylate LCA, forming MDCA as the only product.

The basic natural amino acid L-argininosuccinate containing two chiral centers occurs in L-alanine, L-arginine, L-aspartate, L-glutamate and L-proline metabolic pathways and plays a role in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and other amino acids. It is a precursor for arginine in the urea cycle or the citrulline–NO cycle as well as a precursor to fumarate in the citric acid cycle via argininosuccinate lyase. We aimed to run part of the urea cycle in reverse by catalyzing not the elimination but the addition reaction of L-arginine to fumarate in order to synthesize L-argininosuccinate. Argininosuccinate lyase (ASL) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been chosen as the catalyst for this addition reaction. The selected ARG4 gene was synthesized and homogeneously expressed in E. coli leading to a highly active argininosuccinate lyase. The ASL-catalyzed addition reaction of L-arginine to fumarate has been successfully developed at gram scale. After a standard workup procedure the pure final product L-argininosuccinate has been isolated in good yield and high purity.

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a dietary approach that influences key metabolic pathways, including autophagy—a crucial mechanism in maintaining cellular homeostasis. Autophagy plays a dual role in oncogenesis, acting both as a tumor suppressor and a survival mechanism under metabolic stress. IF has shown potential for reducing cancer risk and enhancing therapeutic efficacy by sensitizing tumor cells to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, its effects depend heavily on the type and stage of cancer. Potential risks, such as excessive weight loss and malnutrition, require careful evaluation. Further clinical studies are needed to optimize IF protocols as adjuncts to cancer therapy. This review discusses autophagy mechanisms induced by IF, their therapeutic implications in oncology, and the limitations of this dietary strategy.