Morphological and molecular characterization of a new specie of Aspergillus genus, isolated from Gruta do Catão cave, São Desidério – BA

• Grant number: 19/03878-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2019
• End date: August 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Mirna Helena Regali Seleghim
• Grantee: Juliana Cristina Porta Caldeira
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Caves make up extreme environments that can provide exceptionally specific niches. Microorganisms that live in these environments develop unique survival strategies, thus possessing peculiarities in their metabolism that vary according to where they live. A lineage of a filamentous fungus called SDC 2.8 was isolated from the sediment of the Catão Cave, São Desidério - BA and the phylogenetic analysis of the ² - tubulin sequence of this line revealed a new species of the genus Aspergillus, belonging to a new clade, placed between the species of A. fructus and A. versicolor. Preliminary studies carried out by our research group and collaborators have demonstrated that the cell line SDC 2.8 shows high cellulolytic activity, antimicrobial activity, Leishmanicidal activity (L. infantum) and proteasome inhibition activity (acting on cancer cells, especially multiple myeloma). Given the high biotechnological potential of this strain, and because it belongs to a genus of great economic and social impact, this project proposes to name and characterize this new species of fungus using phenotypic and molecular tools, according to the international standard of phylogeny, identification and nomenclature of the genus Aspergillus.