Preliminary study of chemical epigenetic modulator influence in the endophytic fungi Phomopsis longicolla from marine algae Bostrychia radicans

• Grant number: 11/11046-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2011
• End date: August 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Hosana Maria Debonsi
• Grantee: Tuanny Leite Almeida
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Natural products represent the most important source of new bioactive substances. However, new niches and ecological interactions gained importance in recent decades, as alternate targets for natural products research. In this context, microorganisms isolated from seaweed highlight an area to be explored, given the scarcity of scientific reports described so far. Additionally, recent genomic studies have shown that various fungi and bacteria possess a potential biosynthetic higher than the amount of secondary metabolites isolated already these microorganisms, and that there is a tendency not to express all its biosynthetic routes in laboratory conditions. Therefore, alternative strategies to induce the production of microbial natural products are required, as for example, the use of chemicals that act as epigenetic modulators. These, in turn, can change the rate of transcription of certain genes, which may result in the induction of the expression of genes responsible for production of secondary metabolites that would remain silenced under laboratory conditions. Thus, this project aims to evaluate the preliminary modifications on the metabolic and bioactive potential of the fungus Phomopsis longicolla, isolated from seaweed Bostrychia radicans. This work will complement the results obtained previously by the group since the latter have interesting information on biological activity tests (antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic). One of the goals of this work consists in obtaining an increase metabolic production of interesting substances, as well as the discovery of new natural products.