Investigation of Bioactive Secondary Metabolites from Two Fungal Strains from the Marine Environment

• Grant number: 24/09994-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Roberto Gomes de Souza Berlinck
• Grantee: Lívia Cicilini da Silva Epifanio
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/17721-9 - The role of Chemistry in holobiont adaptation, AP.TEM

Abstract

The present project aims to discover bioactive natural products produced by marine fungi, active in cytotoxicity tests against tumor cells, against Leishmania spp., against Trypanosoma cruzi, and/or against Plasmodium falciparum. Fungal strains already isolated and purified will be grown, their growth media extracted with AcOEt, and the organic solvent-soluble material subjected to bioassays and a dereplication process. Strains that show bioactivity will be re-grown to confirm their activity. Once confirmed, two fungal strains will be selected for growth in larger volume. The material obtained in larger volumes will be subjected to biomonitored chromatographic fractionation, in order to isolate bioactive substances. Once isolated, purified and identified, they must be evaluated in the original bioassay(s) in which the crude extract was active.