Endophytic fungi from Begonia sp. in Alcatrazes Island and the continental zone: diversity and prospection for bioactive compounds

• Grant number: 14/12021-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2014
• End date: March 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: André Rodrigues
• Grantee: Ana Maria Lima Correia
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Endophytic fungi live within plant tissues without causing any apparent symptoms of disease. Such fungi stimulate plant defenses against pathogenic micro-organisms through production of chemical compounds; thus, they are considered a promising source for the discovery of new bioactive compounds. Using culture dependent methods and polyphasic taxonomy, here we aim to evaluate the diversity of endophytic fungi associated with Begonia sp., a plant not explored for the associate endophytes. Begonia sp. occur both in the continental zone of the State of São Paulo and at the archipelago of Alcatrazes; this constitutes an ideal scenario to assess the diversity of endophytes present in this plant and the putative factors that modulate the diversity of such fungi. Leaves of five specimens of Begonia sp. will be sampled in each locality and used for fungal isolation. In addition, we aim to assess the potential of endophytes in inhibiting the growth of plant pathogens in in vitro bioassays. From the point of view of prospection, unexplored environments, such as the Alcatrazes Island, provide a unique opportunity for searching relevant endophytic fungi for biotechnology. Overall, the results of this proposal will contribute to two aspects of the endophytic fungi associated with Begonia sp.: (i) increase knowledge of the factors that influence the communities of endophytic fungi associated with plants in different locations (and the possible discovery of new undescribed species) and (ii) the discovery of fungi that produce bioactive compounds of interest for controlling plant pathogens. (AU)

Scientific publications

(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)

CORREIA, ANA M. L.; LIRA, SIMONE P.; ASSIS, MARCO A.; RODRIGUES, ANDRE. Fungal Endophyte Communities in Begonia Species from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. Current Microbiology, v. 75, n. 4, p. 441-449, APR 2018. (14/15760-3, 14/12021-5, 13/50228-8)

GRIGOLETTO, DIANA F.; TRIVELLA, DANIELA B. B.; TEMPONE, ANDRE G.; RODRIGUES, ANDRE; CORREIA, ANA MARIA L.; LIRA, SIMONE P.. Antifungal compounds with anticancer potential from Trichoderma sp. P8BDA1F1, an endophytic fungus from Begonia venosa. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, v. 51, n. 3, APR 2020. (14/10753-9, 14/15760-3, 13/50228-8, 14/12021-5)

Academic Publications

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

CORREIA, Ana Maria Lima. Diversity and prospecting of endophytic fungi from Begonia species found in the Atlantic Rain Forest. 2016. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Biociências. Botucatu Botucatu.