PRODUCTION OF MYCOSPORINES BY Papiliotrema laurentii: A BIOTECHNOLOGICAL APPROACH FOR NEW PROTECTORS AGAINST ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION

• Grant number: 23/08769-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: September 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Renata Castiglioni Pascon
• Grantee: Ronaldo Silva Santos
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) affects many aspects of life on the planet. While it isnecessary for the synthesis of important molecules, such as vitamin D, it is alsoharmful to organisms and can lead to ageing and skin cancer. Artificial syntheticsunscreen prevents or delays these effects, but they are toxic and havecarcinogenic and neurotoxic potential in humans. In addition, they accumulatein the aquatic ecosystem in general, damaging the environment, such as by thewhitening of corals. Biomolecules produced by algae, cyanobacteria and fungi,known as micosporins (MYCs) and similar amino acids (MAAs), are able toabsorb ultraviolet radiation by dissipating it into heat, and can make up a naturalsynthetic sunscreen with low or no toxicity. Micosporins from aquatic organismshave already been incorporated into products designed to provide sunprotection. P. laurentii is a yeast from the phylum basidiomicota whose ability toproduce mycosporins has already been in the literature, but this subject hasbeen studied very little in fungi The Laboratory of Microbial Interactions ofUnifesp (LIMic) has two isolates of P. Laurenttii of different origins that producemicosporin. The general objective of this work proposal is to characterizegenotypically and phenotypical these isolates of P. laurenttii as to the ability toproduce mycosporins and to assess the potential of biotechnological applicationof these yeasts. This project is expected to add value to yeast mycosporins asa cost-effective, more sustainable and environmentally friendly sunscreenadditive.