Natural products from microorganisms associated with the social insects Scaptotrigona depilis and Atta sexdens rubropilosa: chemical characterization, biological and ecological functions

• Grant number: 13/04092-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2014
• End date: January 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Mônica Tallarico Pupo
• Grantee: Mônica Tallarico Pupo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Fábio Santos do Nascimento ; Italo Delalibera Júnior ; Norberto Peporine Lopes

Abstract

Natural products may be a result from the interaction among different organisms. Recent studies with bacterial symbionts have demonstrated that these microorganims can be the real producers of compounds isolated from the symbionts macroorganisms. These researches also have shown that natural products can act as regulators of complex ecological interactions. In fact, the existent literature about the chemical ecology involved in the symbiosis between microorganisms and social insects show that some microorganisms are able to produce antimicrobial compounds that inhibit the growth of insect pathogens. For chemists this research area may lead to the discovery of new molecules, new biosynthetic pathways and an understanding of biological/ecological functions mediated by these compounds. This project proposes the original study of symbiont microorganisms associated with two social insects: the leaf cutter ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa and the stingless bee Scaptotrigona depilis. The symbiont microorganisms will be isolated from the insects and their nests, and the respective microbial natural products will be isolated and identified. Moreover, efforts will be done to understand the natural products' functions involved in the insect nest protection, by carrying out antimicrobial assays against entomopathogenic microorganisms and utilization of modern methods of mass spectrometry. This is a multidisciplinary proposal; therefore a research team with different expertise is involved for the reachment of the goals. (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)

SILVA-JUNIOR, EDUARDO A.; RUZZINI, ANTONIO C.; PALUDO, CAMILA R.; NASCIMENTO, FABIO S.; CURRIE, CAMERON R.; CLARDY, JON; PUPO, MONICA T.. Pyrazines from bacteria and ants: convergent chemistry within an ecological niche. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 8, FEB 7 2018. (12/22487-6, 12/24204-1, 15/25301-9, 14/24330-2, 13/50954-0, 13/04092-7)

DA SILVA-JUNIOR, EDUARDO AFONSO; PALUDO, CAMILA RAQUEL; VALADARES, LOHAN; LOPES, NORBERTO PEPORINE; DO NASCIMENTO, FABIO SANTOS; PUPO, MONICA TALLARICO. Aflatoxins produced by Aspergillus nomius ASR3, a pathogen isolated from the leaf-cutter ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE FARMACOGNOSIA-BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOGNOSY, v. 27, n. 4, p. 529-532, JUL-AUG 2017. (12/24204-1, 13/50954-0, 13/04092-7, 12/22487-6)

PALUDO, CAMILA R.; MENEZES, CRISTIANO; SILVA-JUNIOR, EDUARDO A.; VOLLET-NETO, AYRTON; ANDRADE-DOMINGUEZ, ANDRES; PISHCHANY, GLEB; KHADEMPOUR, LILY; DO NASCIMENTO, FABIO S.; CURRIE, CAMERON R.; KOLTER, ROBERTO; et al. Stingless Bee Larvae Require Fungal Steroid to Pupate. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 8, JAN 18 2018. (12/22487-6, 12/24204-1, 13/07600-3, 13/50954-0, 13/04092-7, 14/23532-0)

PALUDO, CAMILA R.; RUZZINI, EANTONIO C.; SILVA-JUNIOR, EDUARDO A.; PISHCHANY, GLEB; CURRIE, CAMERON R.; NASCIMENTO, FABIO S.; KOLTER, ROBERTO G.; CLARDY, JON; PUPO, MONICA T.. Whole-Genome Sequence of Bacillus sp. SDLI1, Isolated from the Social Bee Scaptotrigona depilis. MICROBIOLOGY RESOURCE ANNOUNCEMENTS, v. 4, n. 2, MAR-APR 2016. (12/22487-6, 12/24204-1, 13/07600-3, 13/50954-0, 13/04092-7, 14/23532-0)

PALUDO, CAMILA R.; RUZZINI, EANTONIO C.; SILVA-JUNIOR, EDUARDO A.; PISHCHANY, GLEB; CURRIE, CAMERON R.; NASCIMENTO, FABIO S.; KOLTER, ROBERTO G.; CLARDY, JON; PUPO, MONICA T.. Whole-Genome Sequence of Bacillus sp. SDLI1, Isolated from the Social Bee Scaptotrigona depilis. GENOME ANNOUNCEMENTS, v. 4, n. 2, p. 2-pg., 2016-03-01. (13/07600-3, 14/23532-0, 13/50954-0, 13/04092-7, 12/24204-1, 12/22487-6)