Chemical and biological study of natural products of microorganisms associated with stingless bee species Scaptotrigona depilis

• Grant number: 12/22487-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: April 01, 2013
• End date: February 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Mônica Tallarico Pupo
• Grantee: Camila Raquel Paludo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 14/23532-0 - Genetic sequencing, ecological and chemical aspects of Bacillus sp. isolated from the larval stage of stingless bee Scaptotrigona depilis, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

This project proposes the chemical study of the ecological relationship between microorganisms and the stingless bee Scaptotrigona depilis. Studies in the literature show that understanding relationships of parasitism and mutualism involving the microbial community associated with insects can provide natural products with novel chemical structures and pharmacological potential, particularly with respect to antimicrobial activity. There are no published studies involving chemical ecology of microorganisms associated with S. depilis. In this this project, samples of adults, larvae and beehives of S. depilis will be collected at the Department of Biology, School of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, USP. The microorganisms will be isolated in the Laboratory of Chemistry of Microorganisms, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto and identified by sequencing of ribosomal DNA. Inhibition assays will be performed through pairwise interactions in Petri dishes in the presence of entomopathogenic microorganisms and human pathogens. In order to stimulate the production of active metabolites, the mixed culture approach will be used with microorganisms selected in the antagonism assays in Petri dishes. The chemical profiles of the extracts obtained from microbial cultures will be compared with those from adult bees, larvae and beehive attempting to understand the chemistry involved in the ecology system. The major products will be isolated by chromatograpic methods, identified by spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques, and submitted to antimicrobial assays to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration against pathogens of both insects and humans.

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)

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 RAQUEL; PISHCHANY, GLEB; ANDRADE-DOMINGUEZ, ANDRES; SILVA-JUNIOR, EDUARDO AFONSO; MENEZES, CRISTIANO; NASCIMENTO, FABIO SANTOS; CURRIE, CAMERON R.; KOLTER, ROBERTO; CLARDY, JON; PUPO, MONICA TALLARICO. Microbial community modulates growth of symbiotic fungus required for stingless bee metamorphosis. PLoS One, v. 14, n. 7, JUL 25 2019. (13/07600-3, 13/50954-0, 12/24204-1, 15/25301-9, 12/22487-6, 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)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

PALUDO, Camila Raquel. Chemical and biological study of microorganisms associated with the stingless bee Scaptotrigona depilis. 2017. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC) Ribeirão Preto.