Study of nitrogenated additives influence on the secondary metabolism of endophytic microorganisms

• Grant number: 06/05872-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2007
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Edson Rodrigues Filho
• Grantee: Taicia Pacheco Fill
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The present project, proposed for the Master degree of Taícia Pacheco Fill, is intended to develop and apply analytical methodologies to verify the influence of nitrogenated additives on the secondary metabolism of endophytic microorganisms. During early experimental works on this subject it were studied the best conditions for the production of bis-phenylpropanoyl amides, which are probably made through condensation of two amino acid unities. These amides are reported as antiparasitary compounds and show great potential to be used as antihemintics. They also showed activity against gram-positive Bacillus subtilis in bioassays conducted recently at LaBioMMi (DQ/UFSCar). Their molecular structures resemble those shown by flavolignans produced by Meliaceous plants, the same family of Melia azedarach, from where the fungus Penicillium sp, the amide producer, was obtained as endophyte. In the present project the effect of different nitrogen source, such as amino acidies and nitrogenated inorganic nutrients, on the biosynthesis of these amides and other compounds produced by a collection of endophytic fungi, mainly Penicillium and Eupenicillium species, will be studied using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry techniques.