Use of mass spectrometry and metabolomic tools in the analysis of populations of plant species from Brazilian biodiversity

• Grant number: 23/18392-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: April 01, 2024
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmacognosy
• Principal Investigator: Norberto Peporine Lopes
• Grantee: Marilia Elias Gallon
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/02207-5 - Inventorying secondary metabolism applying metabolomic strategies: contribution to the Brazilian biodiversity valuation, AP.BTA.TEM

Abstract

The continuous global threats to biodiversity, the unsustainable use of land and, consequently, climate change resulting from anthropogenic actions have negatively impacted the functioning of ecological services and, ultimately, the balance of global biomes (BRASIL, 2002; Lewinsohn, et al ., 2002). In this sense, functional traits (morphological, physiological, phenological and behavioral) have been used to understand and model the functioning of ecosystems and, as a result, future scenarios have been predicted. However, the exclusive use of functional characteristics may not cover the complete picture of the functioning of macrosystems as well as the role of metabolism in the adaptive and survival strategies of biomes and their relationship with biodiversity. Metabolomics, in turn, is an emerging integrative approach that can be used as an ecological tool for determining chemical markers associated with genetic diversity, functional traits, phylogenetic relationships on broad geographic, taxonomic and climatic scales. In this context, the project aims to quantify the multiple dimensions of chemical diversity present in Brazilian biodiversity plant communities in different environments and promote the rational search for new biological active compounds. (AU)