Metagenomics and polyphasic analysis from paulista coast cyanobacterial community

• Grant number: 12/06850-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: September 01, 2012 - February 28, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Janaina Rigonato
• Grantee: Janaina Rigonato
• Host Institution: Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Artur Luiz da Costa da Silva ; Luis Henrique Zanini Branco ; Marli de Fátima Fiore ; Orlando Necchi Junior

Abstract

The marine cyanobacteria dominate quantitatively the oceans on a global scale. They are of immense importance for carbon sequestration in these ecosystems, significantly contributing to the global primary production. Besides the ability to reduce carbon dioxide through the process of photosynthesis, many cyanobacteria are also capable of performing the biological fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. Moreover, they are identified as one of the most promising groups of organisms for the isolation of biochemically active new natural products with potential biotechnological application. Studies on cyanobacteria in the Brazilian Atlantic coast are scarce and restricted to floristic surveys by means of observations in optical microscopy. Therefore, this project aims to isolate marine phytoplanctonic cyanobacteria from São Paulo coast, identify these isolates observing the morphology under optic microscopy and to realize phylogenetic studies using gene makers, such as rRNA operon, with the aim of finding species not yet described. As it is difficult to cultivate all the species in an environmental sample, is intended to evaluate the total diversity of cyanobacteria community that inhabit the Atlantic coast in São Paulo using methods independent of cultivation (metagenomic library), also to access the functional activity, by means of evaluating genes involved in secondary metabolism. Finally, due to the importance of isolate organisms for physiology studies, as well as to obtain bioactive compounds, we wish to build a culture databank of marine cyanobacteria, with the purpose of conducting further bioprospection studies. (AU)

Scientific publications

(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)

RIGONATO, JANAINA; GAMA, WATSON ARANTES; ALVARENGA, DANILLO OLIVEIRA; ZANINI BRANCO, LUIS HENRIQUE; BRANDINI, FREDERICO PEREIRA; GENUARIO, DIEGO BONALDO; FIORE, MARLI FATIMA. Aliterella atlantica gen. nov., sp nov., and Aliterella antarctica sp nov., novel members of coccoid Cyanobacteria. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC AND EVOLUTIONARY MICROBIOLOGY, v. 66, n. 8, p. 2853-2861, AUG 2016. (12/16430-1, 10/00321-3, 12/06850-3, 13/50425-8, 11/08092-6)

SANT'ANNA, CELIA L.; GAMA, WATSON A.; RIGONATO, JANAINA; CORREA, GILSINEIA; MESQUITA, MARCELLA C. B.; MARINHO, MARCELO MANZI. Phylogenetic connection among close genera of Aphanizomenonaceae (Cyanobacteria): Amphiheterocytum gen. nov., Cylindrospermopsis and Sphaerospermopsis. ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS, v. 37, p. 205-214, JAN 2019. (12/16430-1, 12/06850-3)

RIGONATO, JANAINA; ALVARENGA, DANILLO O.; BRANCO, LUIS H. Z.; VARANI, ALESSANDRO M.; BRANDINI, FREDERICO P.; FIORE, MARLI F.. Draft Genome Sequence of a Novel Culturable Marine Chroococcalean Cyanobacterium from the South Atlantic Ocean. MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS, v. 3, n. 2, MAR-APR 2015. (12/06850-3, 13/09192-0)