Metabolomic analysis of micromolecular diversity of ESI-MS based caatinga

• Grant number: 17/17850-8
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry
• Cooperation agreement: NERC, UKRI ; Newton Fund, with FAPESP as a partner institution in Brazil
• Principal Investigator: Norberto Peporine Lopes
• Grantee: Danielle Rocha Pinho
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/50488-5 - Nordeste: new science for a neglected biome, AP.SPEC

Abstract

The caatinga is an exclusively Brazilian biome and its extension is defined to the south by the cerrado and to the east and west by the Atlantic and Amazonian forests (Leal. R. I., 2005).Anthropogenic actions have been present in the caatinga since colonial times. Characterized by environmental degradation associated with Cutting Agriculture and from coal production. In Brazil, specifically in the Northeast, the largest area of Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (SDTF) is located South America, known as the nucleus of the caatinga. Its vegetation is characterized by shrubs and small trees, of discontinuous canopy containing thorns, aculeous, stinging trichomes and microfilia, with deciduous foliage in the dry season, causing considerable reduction of photosynthetic activity. The lack of investmentIn research and development coupled with ecosystemic imbalance and degradation biodiversity has aggravated the preservation, sustainable use of its resources and mainly the understanding of the phenomena that govern the uniqueness of this biome. This project will study the metabolism of caatinga microdiversity with the aid of mass spectrometry and chemometric tools, with the objective of to assist the scientific community and the population that depends on this biome for survival. (AU)