Cyanobacterial and Microalgal Diversity in Extreme Ecosystems: Implications for Biodiscovery and Environmental Adaptation

Extreme environments are characterized by conditions beyond the tolerance of most known organisms, including extreme temperatures, pressure, radiation, pH, salinity, water availability, and chemical composition. Once considered lifeless, these environments were shown to harbor life and today are recognized as biodiversity-rich habitats shaped by long-term adaptation. Organisms thriving under such conditions are termed extremophiles.Among extremophiles, Cyanobacteria represent one of the most ancient and ecologically successful microbial phyla, occupying a wide range of habitats, including deserts, volcanoes, polar regions and hypersaline lagoons. These organisms are prolific producers of bioactive compounds with unique biochemical pathways of biotechnological interest, and their ability to thrive under extreme conditions makes cyanobacteria valuable sources of enzymes, proteins and pharmaceutical compounds.Despite their promise, the link between extremophilic cyanobacterial diversity, environmental adaptation, and biotechnological potential is still poorly understood. Consequently, expanding the exploration of extremophilic cyanobacteria through targeted sampling, improved cultivation strategies, and culture-independent methods will be essential to uncover hidden diversity. In parallel, metabolomic and genomic analyses can accelerate the discovery of bioactive compounds with applications in medicine, agriculture, and industry. By bridging taxonomy, ecology, and biotechnology, this initiative seeks to enhance our understanding of biodiversity and of how environmental pressures drive metabolic innovation, ultimately unlocking the potential of extremophilic cyanobacteria as a valuable resource for biodiscovery.This Research Topic aims to address these gaps by encouraging studies that investigate the diversity, taxonomy, ecology, and functional potential of extremophilic cyanobacteria. Contributions integrating classical and modern approaches—such as polyphasic taxonomy, phylogenetics, genomics, and metabolomics—are particularly welcome. Expanding knowledge through both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods will be key to uncovering hidden diversity and understanding ecological dynamics. In addition, this issue seeks to highlight the potential of these organisms for biotechnological applications, including the discovery of novel bioactive compounds. By fostering interdisciplinary research, this collection aims to advance our understanding of cyanobacteria in extreme ecosystems and their relevance for environmental adaptation and biodiscovery. Topic editors: Guilherme Scotta Hentschke, Fernando D. Alfaro, Daniel Guzmán, Vitor Vasconcelos Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79838/cyanobacterial-and-microalgal-diversity-in-extreme-ecosystems-implications-for-biodiscovery-and-environmental-adaptation