The Eph receptor tyrosine kinase family, activated by binding to their cognate ephrin ligands, are important components of signalling pathways involved in animal development. More recently, they have received significant interest due to their involvement in oncogenesis. In most cases, their expression is altered, affecting the likes of cell proliferation and migration. Depending on the context, Eph receptors have the potential to act as both tumour promoters and suppressors in a number of cancers, such as breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, brain cancer and Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), the latter being intrinsically linked to EphA2 as this is the receptor used for endothelial cell entry by the Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). In addition, EphA2 deregulation is associated with KS, indicating that it has a dual role in this case. Associations between EphA2 sequence variation and KSHV infection/KS progression have been detected, but further work is required to formally establish the links between EphA2 signalling and KS oncogenesis. This review consolidates the available literature of the role of the Eph receptor family, and particularly EphA2, in tumorigenesis, with the aim to develop a better understanding of Eph signalling pathways for potential targeting in novel cancer therapies.

The process of Kaposi’s Sarcoma Herpes Virus’ (KSHV) entry into target cells is complex and engages several viral glycoproteins which bind to a large range of host cell surface molecules. Receptors for KSHV include heparan sulphate proteoglycans (HSPGs), several integrins and Eph receptors, cystine/glutamate antiporter (xCT) and Dendritic Cell-Specific Intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN). This diverse range of potential binding and entry sites allows KSHV to have a broad cell tropism, and entry into specific cells is dependent on the available receptor repertoire. Several molecules involved in KSHV entry have been well characterized, particularly those postulated to be associated with KSHV-associated pathologies such as Kaposi’s Sarcoma (KS). In this review, KSHV infection of specific cell types pertinent to its pathogenesis will be comprehensively summarized with a focus on the specific cell surface binding and entry receptors KSHV exploits to gain access to a variety of cell types. Gaps in the current literature regarding understanding interactions between KSHV glycoproteins and cellular receptors in virus infection are identified which will lead to the development of virus infection intervention strategies.

Societal Impact Statement: Wild edible plants hold significant potential to strengthen food systems by enhancing nutrition, dietary diversity, climate resilience, sustainability and deeper connection of people to their food. In this study, we conducted a systematic literature review to identify knowledge gaps and assess the nutritional contributions of selected wild edible species from South Africa, compared with their commercial equivalents. We found that species from the Greater Cape Floristic Region are especially under‐researched, yet several show strong potential to address regional nutrient deficiencies and often outperform commercial crops. These findings support targeted research, cultivation and policy efforts to (re)integrate priority wild species into resilient, locally adapted food systems. Summary: Wild edible plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR) of South Africa have piqued recent interest from multiple sectors for their potential to contribute to the Western Cape's food systems. However, cultivation efforts remain hindered by limited nutritional knowledge. This study uses a multi‐methods approach. First, a systematic literature review establishes nutritional knowledge gaps and priorities for selected wild edible plants of the region. Existing nutritional data extracted from this review, alongside data from a global nutritional database, are then collated to summarise the nutritional contributions that these species can make to daily dietary requirements and their comparison to commercial equivalents. We find that winter rainfall/GCFR species are poorly researched and more so than summer rainfall species in terms of (a) nutritional status studied and (b) number of key nutrients tested in each species. We also identify key winter rainfall species (e.g. Carpobrotus edulis , Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, Trachyandra falcata and Lycium ferrocissimum ) that show high potential to address nutritional deficits of the region. We find that wild edibles could play a role in addressing specific nutrient deficiencies of the Western Cape and often make nutritional contributions higher than that of equivalent commercial crops. Although we find nutritional data to be sparse, that which exists suggests high nutritive potential of wild edible plants of the GCFR. We also identify priority species for future nutritional study and cultivation to enhance local food systems using the bounty offered by this biodiversity hotspot.