Cyanobacteria from the caatinga biome: isolation, morphology, phylogeny and bioprospection

• Grant number: 09/13455-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: November 01, 2009
• End date: July 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Marli de Fátima Fiore
• Grantee: Tânia Keiko Shishido
• Host Institution: Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This research project aims at accessing the molecular and genetic characteristics of cyanobacterial strains isolated from caatinga, through the analysis of morphometric characters, sequencing of the nifH gene from the nitrogenase complex - responsible by N2 fixation - and the 16S rRNA gene, used for cyanobacterial discrimination. The toxins (microcystin, cylindrospermopsin and saxitoxin) production will be analyzed by ELISA immunoassay and mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the presence of these toxin genes will be analyzed by PCR using the specific primers. The nucleotide sequences obtained will be compared to sequences from the NCBI database using the BLAST tool and the evolutionary distance between the nucleotides of the sequenced strains will be analyzed by phylogenetic tree construction. At least thirty cyanobacterial strains will be characterized. The estimate of the biological N2 fixation by these microorganisms will be analyzed using the acetylene reduction technique. The bioprospection with the isolated strains will be based on bioactivity and toxicity tests. Unknown compounds will be purified and characterized. We expect to obtain information about morphological, genetic and physiological diversity of the caatinga cyanobacteria with this study, contributing for a better comprehension about the role played by these microorganisms in this biome. Moreover, potential natural products with pharmaceutical and biotechnological interest will be identified and characterized.

Scientific publications

(8)

(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)

LIU, LIWEI; HERFINDAL, LARS; JOKELA, JOUNI; SHISHIDO, TANIA KEIKO; WAHLSTEN, MATTI; DOSKELAND, STEIN OVE; SIVONEN, KAARINA. Cyanobacteria from Terrestrial and Marine Sources Contain Apoptogens Able to Overcome Chemoresistance in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells. MARINE DRUGS, v. 12, n. 4, p. 2036-2053, APR 2014. (09/13455-0)

SILVA-STENICO, MARIA ESTELA; PAMPLONA SILVA, CAROLINE SOUZA; LORENZI, ADRIANA STURION; SHISHIDO, TANIA KEIKO; ETCHEGARAY, AUGUSTO; LIRA, SIMONE POSSEDENTE; BERALDO MORAES, LUIZ ALBERTO; FIORE, MARLI FATIMA. Non-ribosomal peptides produced by Brazilian cyanobacterial isolates with antimicrobial activity. MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH, v. 166, n. 3, p. 161-175, 2011. (06/01671-2, 09/13455-0)

SHISHIDO, TANIA K.; JOKELA, JOUNI; KOLEHMAINEN, CLARA-THERESIA; FEWER, DAVID P.; WAHLSTEN, MATTI; WANG, HAO; ROUHIAINEN, LEO; RIZZI, ERMANNO; DE BELLIS, GIANLUCA; PERMI, PERTTU; et al. Antifungal activity improved by coproduction of cyclodextrins and anabaenolysins in Cyanobacteria. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, v. 112, n. 44, p. 6-pg., 2015-11-03. (09/13455-0)

VESTOLA, JOHANNA; SHISHIDO, TANIA K.; JOKELA, JOUNI; FEWER, DAVID P.; AITIO, OLLI; PERMI, PERTTU; WAHLSTEN, MATTI; WANG, HAO; ROUHIAINEN, LEO; SIVONEN, KAARINA. Hassallidins, antifungal glycolipopeptides, are widespread among cyanobacteria and are the end-product of a nonribosomal pathway. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, v. 111, n. 18, p. 9-pg., 2014-05-06. (09/13455-0)

SHISHIDO, TANIA K.; JOKELA, JOUNI; KOLEHMAINEN, CLARA-THERESIA; FEWER, DAVID P.; WAHLSTEN, MATTI; WANG, HAO; ROUHIAINEN, LEO; RIZZI, ERMANNO; DE BELLIS, GIANLUCA; PERMI, PERTTU; et al. Antifungal activity improved by coproduction of cyclodextrins and anabaenolysins in Cyanobacteria. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, v. 112, n. 44, p. 13669-13674, NOV 3 2015. (09/13455-0)

VESTOLA, JOHANNA; SHISHIDO, TANIA K.; JOKELA, JOUNI; FEWER, DAVID P.; AITIO, OLLI; PERMI, PERTTU; WAHLSTEN, MATTI; WANG, HAO; ROUHIAINEN, LEO; SIVONEN, KAARINA. Hassallidins, antifungal glycolipopeptides, are widespread among cyanobacteria and are the end-product of a nonribosomal pathway. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, v. 111, n. 18, p. E1909-E1917, MAY 6 2014. (09/13455-0)

SHISHIDO, TANIA K.; HUMISTO, ANU; JOKELA, JOUNI; LIU, LIWEI; WAHLSTEN, MATTI; TAMRAKAR, ANISHA; FEWER, DAVID P.; PERMI, PERTTU; ANDREOTE, ANA P. D.; FIORE, MARLI F.; et al. Antifungal Compounds from Cyanobacteria. MARINE DRUGS, v. 13, n. 4, p. 2124-2140, 2015. (09/13455-0, 13/09192-0)

SHISHIDO, TANIA KEIKO; KAASALAINEN, ULLA; FEWER, DAVID P.; ROUHIAINEN, LEO; JOKELA, JOUNI; WAHLSTEN, MATTI; FIORE, MARLI FATIMA; YUNES, JOAO SARKIS; RIKKINEN, JOUKO; SIVONEN, KAARINA. Convergent evolution of [D-Leucine(1)] microcystin-LR in taxonomically disparate cyanobacteria. BMC Evolutionary Biology, v. 13, APR 19 2013. (09/13455-0)