Exploring the biosynthetic capacity of U. guianensis in vitro plantlets

• Grant number: 22/05324-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2022
• End date: July 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Adriana Aparecida Lopes
• Grantee: Laís Amanda Fernandes Corsi
• Host Institution: Universidade de Ribeirão Preto (UNAERP). Campus Ribeirão Preto. Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Humans have a long history of plant dependence, for example, for food supply, and especially as adjuncts in the diseases' treatment. In the past and today, several drugs are designed from plant metabolites and novel scaffolds are constantly being identified. However, the plant source has often production compromised and in vitro plant cultures ensure the production of crude extracts, for example. Besides, through the use of the most varied types of cultural media is possible to screen the compound's production and select the ideal medium for the main compound production. However, in recent years, some authors have presented strategies to explore plant diversity, focusing not just on the main metabolite, but modulating the culture medium in order to get new compounds biosynthesis. Recent studies carried out with Arabidopsis thaliana showed that the transcription changes significantly during callus culture cultivation, proving the high DNA dynamics. Activation of DNA methylation level resulting from changes in chromatin structure increased, while repression is associated with increased DNA methylation level. Hypomethylation was found to be characteristic of active transcription, while transcriptional repression is associated with an increased level of DNA methylation, resulting from changes in chromatin structure. This research project aims to epigenetic control strategy using Uncaria guianensis in vitro plantlets, in order to get changes in secondary metabolite profiles, in order words, the presence of the epigenetic modulator will trigger new molecules biosynthesis.(AU)