Bioprospecting of Antarctic fungi with potential for the production of pigments

• Grant number: 18/04635-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2018
• End date: September 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Daiane Cristina Sass
• Grantee: Isabela Fernanda da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The demand for natural pigments has been increasing due to the harmful effects of some synthetic dyes. Bacterial and fungal pigments provide an readily available alternative as a source of natural dyes. In contrast to other natural pigments, they have enormous advantages, including rapid microorganism growth, easy processing and independence of weather conditions. Microbial pigments most often cost more than synthetic ones, yet they can still compete with synthetic dyes because they are natural and safe. One way to reduce costs in producing microbial pigments is to look for microorganisms that produce more or new pigments. In this sense, the Antarctic microbial communities are of great importance for the production of pigments, because in this environment the microorganisms are exposed to long periods of UV radiation and a form of protection of these microorganisms is the production of pigments. In this way, this project aims to conduct an investigation of Antarctic fungi with potential for pigment production.