The sesquiterpene lactone thapsigargin is found in the plant Thapsia garganica L., and is one of the major constituents of the roots and fruits of this Mediterranean species. In 1978, the first pharmacological effects of thapsigargin were established and the full structure was elucidated in 1985. Shortly after, the overall mechanism of the Sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA) inhibition that leads to apoptosis was discovered. Thapsigargin has a potent antagonistic effect on the SERCA and is widely used to study Ca²⁺-signaling. The effect on SERCA has also been utilized in the treatment of solid tumors. A prodrug has been designed to target the blood vessels of cancer cells; the death of these blood vessels then leads to tumor necrosis. The first clinical trials of this drug were initiated in 2008, and the potent drug is expected to enter the market in the near future under the generic name Mipsagargin (G-202). This review will describe the discovery of the new drug, the on-going elucidation of the biosynthesis of thapsigargin in the plant and attempts to supply the global market with a novel potent anti-cancer drug.

Tayloria rudolphiana (Garov.) Bruch et Schimp. was grown in axenic culture, from spores and gametophyte fragments to study its development patterns for the first time. It was grown for 16 months on Parker's growth media under a 14h light/16°C-10h dark/14°C cycle with daylight fluorescent lighting. The expansion of protonemata filaments and branch formation in T. rudolphiana followed the typical tip growth pattern seen in mosses. All types of protonemata cells were observed (chloronemata, caulonemata and rhizoids) in specific developmental sequences, depending on their origin. Protonemata (caulonema) derived brood cells were observed for the first time in T. rudolphiana. Brood cells formed at the ends of the caulonemal filaments as chains of short, relatively thick-walled, spherical cells, containing abundant chloroplasts and some lipid droplets. Brood cells developed after 4 months in culture on colonies initiated from spores. Tayloria rudolphiana (Garov.) Bruch et Schimp. a été mise en culture sous conditions axéniques, à partir de spores et de gamétophytes, afin d'étudier pour la première fois son développement en culture in vitro. L'espèce a été cultivée dans un milieu Parker pendant 16 mois sous un régime de lumière et de température 14 h jour/16 °C — 10 h nuit/ 14 °C avec un éclairage fluorescent reproduisant la lumière du jour. L'expansion des filaments de protonéma et la formation de branches dans T. rudolphiana, ont suivi le schéma typique observé chez les mousses. Tous les types de cellules du protonéma ont été observés (chloronéma, caulonéma et rhizoïdes) dans des séquences de développement spécifiques selon leur origine. Des cellules nichées derivées du protonéma (caulonéma) ont été mises en évidence pour la première fois chez T. rudolphiana. Les ‘brood cells’ se sont formées aux extrémités des filaments de caulonéma en formant des chaînes de cellules courtes, vertes et sphériques, avec des parois relativement épaisses. Ces cellules contenaient des chloroplastes en abondance et quelques gouttelettes lipidiques. Elles ont été observées après 4 mois de culture dans les colonies engendrées à partir de spores.

Understanding population structure and clarifying species boundaries are essential for the sustainable management of exploited marine species. Although genomic resources for shallow‐water taxa have expanded rapidly, open‐water species remain comparatively understudied. Here, we present a comprehensive genomic analysis of the white anglerfish ( Lophius piscatorius ), a commercially important species that occupies a wide depth range. We examined genetic structuring and verified species identity across its distribution range in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean. We combined whole‐genome sequencing of selected individuals with targeted SNP genotyping of 897 specimens from 35 locations. Our results support a panmictic or nearly panmictic population of white anglerfish throughout the Northeast Atlantic, consistent with earlier studies, here extended northward to about 68° N. We found no evidence of local adaptation or selection. Like earlier studies, we detected apparently misclassified specimens of the closely related black anglerfish ( L. budegassa ) and extensive hybridization with up to 20% hybrids in local samples from around the Celtic Sea and nearby waters. Most or all hybrids appear to be first generation (F1), with a few potential backcrossed individuals of less certain identification. Demographic analyses indicate a recent colonization of the North Atlantic, with black anglerfish diverging more recently and maintaining a smaller effective population size. These results underscore the value of integrating genomic tools into monitoring frameworks to improve species identification, delineate population units, and inform sustainable fisheries management.