(1) Background: Viral respiratory infections cause life-threatening diseases in millions of people worldwide every year. Human coronavirus and several picornaviruses are responsible for worldwide epidemic outbreaks, thus representing a heavy burden to their hosts. In the absence of specific treatments for human viral infections, natural products offer an alternative in terms of innovative drug therapies. (2) Methods: We analyzed the antiviral properties of the leaves and stem bark of the mulberry tree (Morus spp.). We compared the antiviral activity of Morus spp. on enveloped and nonenveloped viral pathogens, such as human coronavirus (HCoV 229E) and different members of the Picornaviridae family—human poliovirus 1, human parechovirus 1 and 3, and human echovirus 11. The antiviral activity of 12 water and water–alcohol plant extracts of the leaves and stem bark of three different species of mulberry—Morus alba var. alba, Morus alba var. rosa, and Morus rubra—were evaluated. We also evaluated the antiviral activities of kuwanon G against HCoV-229E. (3) Results: Our results showed that several extracts reduced the viral titer and cytopathogenic effects (CPE). Leaves’ water-alcohol extracts exhibited maximum antiviral activity on human coronavirus, while stem bark and leaves’ water and water-alcohol extracts were the most effective on picornaviruses. (4) Conclusions: The analysis of the antiviral activities of Morus spp. offer promising applications in antiviral strategies.

Life is thought to have appeared in the depth of the sea under high hydrostatic pressure. Nowadays, it is known that the deep biosphere hosts a myriad of life forms thriving under high-pressure conditions. However, the evolutionary mechanisms leading to their adaptation are still not known. Here, we show the molecular bases of these mechanisms through a joint structural and dynamical study of two orthologous proteins. We observed that pressure adaptation involves the decoupling of protein–water dynamics and the elimination of cavities in the protein core. This is achieved by rearranging the charged residues on the protein surface and using bulkier hydrophobic residues in the core. These findings will be the starting point in the search for a complete genomic model explaining high-pressure adaptation.

Archaeal membranes exhibit remarkable stability under extreme environmental conditions, a feature attributed to their unique lipid composition. While it is widely accepted that tetraether lipids confer structural integrity by forming monolayers, the role of bilayer-forming diether lipids in membrane stability remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that incorporating diethers into archaeal-like lipid assemblies enhances membrane organization and adaptability under thermal stress. Using neutron diffraction, we show that membranes composed of mixed diethers and tetraethers exhibit greater structural order and stability compared to pure lipid systems. Contrary to expectations, monolayer-forming tetraethers alone display increased variability in lamellar spacing under fluctuating temperature and humidity, whereas mixed lipid membranes maintain a consistent architecture. Furthermore, neutron-scattering length density profiles reveal an unexpected density feature at the bilayer midplane, challenging conventional models of archaeal monolayer organization. These findings suggest that molecular diversity of lipid molecules, rather than tetraether dominance, plays a critical role in membrane auto-assembly, stability, and adaptability. Our results provide new insights into archaeal membrane adaptation strategies, with implications for the development of bioinspired, robust synthetic membranes for industrial and biomedical applications.

Archaeal membranes exhibit remarkable stability under extreme environmental conditions, a feature attributed to their unique lipid composition. While it is widely accepted that tetraether lipids confer structural integrity by forming monolayers, the role of bilayer-forming diether lipids in membrane stability remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that the incorporation of diethers into archaeal-like lipid assemblies enhances membrane organization and adaptability under thermal stress. Using neutron diffraction, we show that membranes composed of mixed diethers and tetraethers exhibit greater structural order and stability compared to pure lipid systems. Contrary to expectations, monolayer-forming tetraethers alone display increased variability in lamellar spacing under fluctuating temperature and humidity, whereas mixed lipid membranes maintain a consistent architecture. Furthermore, neutron scattering length density profiles reveal an unexpected density feature at the bilayer midplane, challenging conventional models of archaeal monolayer organization. These findings suggest that molecular diversity of lipid molecules, rather than tetraether dominance, plays a critical role in membrane auto assembly, stability and adaptability. Our results provide new insights into archaeal membrane adaptation strategies, with implications for the development of bioinspired, robust synthetic membranes for industrial and biomedical applications.

Le manque de thérapies innovantes en chimiothérapie humaine incite la communauté scientifique à s'intéresser à de nouvelles sources de composés bioactifs. Nous pouvons citer les métabolites secondaires de plantes, auxquels appartiennent les acides hydroxy pentacycliques triterpénoiques (AHPTs) et plus particulièrement les Acides Ursolique (AU), Oléanolique (AO) et Bétulinique (AB). Ces molécules font l'objet de nombreuses études qui tendent à démontrer leurs propriétés : anti-infectieuses, anticancéreuses, antiprolifératives, anti-inflammatoires, hépatoprotectrices. Le principal obstacle à leur utilisation à des fins thérapeutiques, reste l'insolubilité de ces AHPTs dans l'eau. L'objectif de ce travail a donc été d'augmenter leur hydrosolubilité. Dans un premier temps, en accord avec les recommandations et/ou normes existantes, nous avons démontré que le spectre d'activité antibactérienne de l'AU et de l'AO se limitait aux bactéries à Gram positif. Aucun AHPT n'a montré d'activité antifongique. Seul l'AB a montré une activité intéressante sur le Cytomégalovirus humain (hCMV) ; aucune activité antivirale n'ayant été retrouvée sur le Poliovirus. Enfin, l'AB, mais encore plus l'AU ont montré une activité anticancéreuse à l'encontre de cellules modèles de leucémie myéloïde chronique (LMC). Dans un deuxième temps, nous avons procédé à la fabrication et à l'étude de complexes entre les AHPTs et des cyclodextrines. Nous avons retenu la gamma-cyclodextrine (gamma-CD), qui présentait l'avantage de complexer les 3 AHPTs avec une constante de formation « moyenne » à « élevée ». Ces complexes AHPTs :gamma-CD ont été caractérisés en utilisant diverses techniques : chromatographiques, thermiques et spectrométriques. Nous avons conclu à l'obtention de complexes d'inclusion qui ont permis d'augmenter la solubilité des AHPTs. Dans une dernière partie, nous avons évalué les activités biologiques des complexes AHPTs : gamma-CD. Les résultats montrent que les complexes AU : gamma-CD et AO : gamma-CD restent actifs à l'encontre des bactéries à Gram positif (mais avec une efficacité plus faible) ; tandis que le complexe AB : gamma-CD se révèle être actif sur certaines bactéries. Le complexe AB : gamma-CD, et de façon surprenante le complexe AU : gamma-CD présentent une activité antivirale à l'encontre du hCMV. Enfin, la diminution de la cytotoxicité liée à la complexation des AHPTs accroit l'intérêt des molécules d'AU et d'AB sur les cellules de LMC