Search for genes involved in bioremediation in metagenomic DNA samples of pond water pit and dam waste of a disused mining region

• Grant number: 14/07592-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): March 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Acordo de Cooperação: Vale-FAPEMIG-FAPESPA
• Principal Investigator: Eliana Gertrudes de Macedo Lemos
• Grantee: Milena Tavares Lima Constancio
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Host Company: Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV)

Abstract

One of the most promising fields of biotechnology is bioremediation. This process is the use of living organisms or their components in the recovery of contaminated areas. Are usually processes employing microorganisms or their enzymes to degrade polluting compounds and can be used to attack specific contaminants in soil and water, such as the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated organic compounds made by some bacterial species. The biodegradation takes place through the use of contaminants by microorganisms, especially as carbon source, allowing the microorganisms bioremediators its division into new cells, the synthesis of vital molecules and electrons to obtain energy production (Martins et al. 2003). This is a process that aims to detoxify the polluted waters contaminated soil or other environments using microorganisms (fungi, bacteria, algae, etc) and enzymes. The mechanisms provided by various microorganisms to immobilize sequester or enhance the solubility of the metal in the environment is of great interest. Among antioxidant enzymes and compounds of bacteria with biotechnological importance are: Superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1.), Catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) enzyme glutathione reductase (GR, EC 1.6.4.2), glutathione -S-transferase (GST : EC 2.5.1.18) and alkane hydroxylase enzyme. The study of genes that participate in bioremediation is of paramount importance for technological development both in the sense of preserving the environment and in order to take advantage of biological systems for activities that enable the improvement of life. The subproject "Using metagenomic DNA to search for genes of biotechnological interest and analysis of the bacterial population" is part of the project "Diversity of plants and soil organisms with biotechnological potential and environmental impact indicators in São Paulo" which has as coordinator Prof. Dr. Eliana L M Lemos. This project proposes using molecular techniques such as metagenomics to determine the diversity of micro - organisms present in soil and water collected in the area of mining and its surroundings, exploring and isolating genes of biotechnological interest of enzymes involved in bioremediation process. In the doctoral project proposed sequencing and sequence analysis of DNA extracted from samples of water for exploration of a variety of enzymes from biotechnological interest, cloning, expression and characterization of one or more enzymes that are found will be performed. (AU)

Academic Publications

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

CONSTANCIO, Milena Tavares Lima. Diversity and functional structure of microbial communities in water from a mining pit and lagoon of rejects of a disabled mining region. 2018. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias. Jaboticabal Jaboticabal.