Intermolecular interactions involving betalains

• Grant number: 14/14866-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: November 01, 2014
• End date: October 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Erick Leite Bastos
• Grantee: Erick Leite Bastos
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Flowers are reproductive structures with impressive aesthetic appeal. However, the contrast of the patterns produced by the pigments present in petals and other plant structures can be highly complex. Besides the interaction with visible light, some plant pigments can absorb ultraviolet light or emit fluorescence in order to favor the plant-pollinator interactions. Betalains are nontoxic vacuolar pigments derived from L-tyrosine, which are present in the petals of most fluorescent flowers. Stabilization of betalains outside plant vacuole is difficult given their high chemical reactivity. However, this feature promotes the interaction of betalains and biomolecules and their accumulation in subcellular compartments, making these antioxidant pigments suitable as therapeutic agents for diseases related to oxidative stress. The goal of this interdisciplinary research project is both to understand the chemical nature and apply the effects of the intermolecular interaction between betalains and other chemical species. We propose to: i) study the interaction of solvents, ions and copigments with natural and artificial betalains ii) investigate the mechanism of the oxidation of natural betalains, and iii) expand the understanding of the interaction of betalains with biomolecules potentially involved in the internalization and accumulation of these pigments in cellula. (AU)

Scientific publications

(6)

(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)

KASKOVA, ZINAIDA M.; DORR, FELIPE A.; PETUSHKOV, VALENTIN N.; PURTOV, KONSTANTIN V.; TSARKOVA, ALEKSANDRA S.; RODIONOVA, NATALJA S.; MINEEV, KONSTANTIN S.; GUGLYA, ELENA B.; KOTLOBAY, ALEXEY; BALEEVA, NADEZHDA S.; et al. Mechanism and color modulation of fungal bioluminescence. SCIENCE ADVANCES, v. 3, n. 4, APR 2017. (14/14866-2, 12/12663-1, 13/07914-8, 13/07937-8, 10/11578-5, 13/16885-1)

BARTOLONI, FERNANDO HEERING; DE OLIVEIRA, MARCELO ALMEIDA; MONTEIRO LEITE CISCATO, LUIZ FRANCISCO; AUGUSTO, FELIPE ALBERTO; BASTOS, ERICK LEITE; BAADER, WILHELM JOSEF. Chemiluminescence Efficiency of Catalyzed 1,2-Dioxetanone Decomposition Determined by Steric Effects. Journal of Organic Chemistry, v. 80, n. 8, p. 3745-3751, APR 17 2015. (14/14866-2, 14/22136-4, 12/13807-7, 12/02428-5)

FERNANDES, DANIEL L. A.; PAUN, CRISTINA; PAVLIUK, MARIIA V.; FERNANDES, ARTHUR B.; BASTOS, ERICK L.; SA, JACINTO. Green microfluidic synthesis of monodisperse silver nanoparticles via genetic algorithm optimization. RSC ADVANCES, v. 6, n. 98, p. 95693-95697, 2016. (14/14866-2)

AUGUSTO, FELIPE A.; FRANCES-MONERRIS, ANTONIO; GALVAN, IGNACIO FDEZ; ROCA-SANJUAN, DANIEL; BASTOS, ERICK L.; BAADER, WILHELM J.; LINDH, ROLAND. Mechanism of activated chemiluminescence of cyclic peroxides: 1,2-dioxetanes and 1,2-dioxetanones. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, v. 19, n. 5, p. 3955-3962, FEB 7 2017. (14/14866-2, 14/22136-4)

VASCONCELOS, STANLEY N. S.; BELTRAN RODRIGUES, ANA CLARA; BASTOS, ERICK LEITE; STEFANI, HELIO A.. Synthesis of a Tyr-Tyr Peptide Library and Fluorescence of the Stilbenyl Derivatives. CHEMISTRYSELECT, v. 1, n. 6, p. 1287-1291, MAY 1 2016. (14/14866-2, 12/00424-2, 13/17960-7)

PAVLIUK, MARIIA V.; FERNANDES, ARTHUR B.; ABDELLAH, MOHAMED; FERNANDES, DANIEL L. A.; MACHADO, CAROLINE O.; ROCHA, IGOR; HATTORI, YOCEFU; PAUN, CRISTINA; BASTOS, ERICK L.; SA, JACINTO. Nano-hybrid plasmonic photocatalyst for hydrogen production at 20% efficiency. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 7, AUG 17 2017. (14/14866-2)