Bioprocesses and biotechnological potential in Gracilaria species (Rhodophyta, Gracilariales): physiological and biochemical approach

• Grant number: 17/13259-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): November 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Pant Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Nair Sumie Yokoya
• Grantee: Jonatas Martinez Canuto de Souza
• Host Institution: Instituto de Botânica. Secretaria do Meio Ambiente (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/16398-0 - Characterization of plant growth regulators of Gracilaria and Antarctic seaweed species: a biotechnological potential for agriculture, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Benthic marine algae are sources of compounds of commercial and biotechnological interest, and can be biofilters, since they use the nutrients of the medium in their metabolism. Species of Gracilaria Greville are exploited as raw material for the agar production and studies on their development are necessary for the sustainable production of biomass, agar and new bioactive compounds. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of nutrient availability (nitrogen and phosphorus) in the metabolism and biotechnological potential of Gracilaria caudata J. Agardh and G. domingensis (Kützing) Sonder ex Dickie. Experiments will be performed with nitrate addition (zero, 50, 125, 250 and 500 ¼M) and phosphate in the ratio of 10: 1 to 100: 1. Each treatment will be tested with three replicates (n = 3). The following physiological and biochemical variables will be analyzed: growth rates, photosynthesis, morphometry, concentrations of total soluble proteins, carbohydrates and pigments (chlorophyll A, phycoerythrin, phycocyanin and allophycocyanin), and thallus contents of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and phosphorus. To evaluate the biotechnological potential, properties of the agar will be determined (yield, and quantification of sulfate and 3, 6-anhydrogalactose levels), and biological activity tests will be performed (antioxidant and inhibitory activity of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase) with extracts produced by bioreactors compared with field-collecting material. (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)

ARAUJO, PATRICIA GUIMARAES; SOUZA, JONATAS M. C.; PASQUALETTI, CESAR B.; YOKOYA, NAIR S.. Auxin and cytokinin combinations improve growth rates and protein contents in Laurencia catarinensis (Rhodophyta). JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY, v. 33, n. 2, JAN 2021. (17/13259-3, 16/03062-5)