Signalling molecules in the modulation of the transcriptome, metabolic flux and triterpene immunoadjuvant saponins biosynthesis in Quillaja brasiliensis Mart. (Quillajaceae)

• Grant number: 19/15477-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: January 01, 2020
• End date: January 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Agreement: CONFAP - National Council of State Research Support Foundations
• Principal Investigator: Douglas Silva Domingues
• Grantee: Douglas Silva Domingues
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alessandro de Mello Varani ; Suzana Tiemi Ivamoto
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/03947-5 - Integrative bioinformatics of Quillaja brasiliensis: Transcriptome analysis and identification of genes related to triterpenic saponins, BP.TT

Abstract

Quillaja brasiliensis is a tree species native to southern Brazil, popularly known as "pão-sabão", which produces bioactive triterpene saponins. Leaf saponins of Q. brasiliensis show pronounced adjuvant activity in experimental veterinary vaccines, comparable to the commercial adjuvant Quil-A®, obtained from Quillaja saponaria bark, a source that is not renewable and is at risk of imminent scarcity. In addition, Q. brasiliensis saponins show significantly lower toxicity compared to Q. saponaria, a very advantageous feature in the use of adjuvant saponins. As in Q. saponaria, among Q. brasiliensis saponins is a specific molecule, QS-21, approved for use in human vaccines against malaria and herpes zoster. Cell cultures of Q. brasiliensis producing saponins are available in the laboratory of the RS proponent, and its use as plant material greatly facilitates transcriptonic and metabolic evaluations. Considering the possibility of Q. brasiliensis use for the sustainable production of saponins with potential commercial use and considering the need for deeper knowledge on the production and accumulation of bioactive saponins, this project aims to characterize metabolic and transcriptional aspects related to production of immunoadjuvant saponins in cell cultures of Quillaja brasiliensis. The characterization will include chemical evaluation, biosynthesis and transcriptional responses in cultures against metabolic elicitors. We expect to better understand the regulation of biosynthesis of triterpenic saponins of high commercial value in cell cultures of Q. brasiliensis and to evaluate their viability as an alternative and / or complementary source of these natural products and, in the long term, to subsidize the production biotechnology in heterologous systems. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE CAMPOS, RAFAEL PASCHOAL; WINK, MARCIA ROSANGELA; LENZ, GUIDO. ENTPD5: identification of splicing variants and their impact on cancer survival. PURINERGIC SIGNALLING, JUN 2021. (19/15477-3)

BUSS, JULIETI HUCH; LENZ, LUANA SUELING; PEREIRA, LUIZA CHEROBINI; TORGO, DAPHNE; MARCOLIN, JULIA; BEGNINI, KARINE RECH; LENZ, GUIDO. The role of mitosis in generating fitness heterogeneity. Journal of Cell Science, v. 136, n. 1, p. 8-pg., 2023-01-01. (19/15477-3)

COSTA-SILVA, JULIANA; HUNGRIA, MARIANGELA; DOMINGUES, DOUGLAS S.; MENOTTI, DAVID; LOPES, FABRICIO MARTINS. Temporal progress of gene expression analysis with RNA-Seq data: A review on the relationship between computational methods. COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, v. 21, p. 13-pg., 2023-01-01. (18/08042-8, 16/10896-0, 19/15477-3)

ISER, ISABELE CRISTIANA; VEDOVATTO, SAMLAI; OLIVEIRA, FERNANDA DITTRICH; BECKENKAMP, LIZIANE RAQUEL; LENZ, GUIDO; WINK, MARCIA ROSANGELA. The crossroads of adenosinergic pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in cancer. SEMINARS IN CANCER BIOLOGY, v. 86, p. 12-pg., 2022-10-13. (19/15477-3)

DE CAMPOS, RAFAEL PASCHOAL; WINK, MARCIA ROSANGELA; LENZ, GUIDO. ENTPD5: identification of splicing variants and their impact on cancer survival. PURINERGIC SIGNALLING, v. 17, n. 3, p. 467-480, SEP 2021. (19/15477-3)