Study of the micropredatory capacity of Brazilian marine myxobacteria

• Grant number: 25/03480-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Paula Christine Jimenez
• Grantee: Bruno Farah Mastrorosa Luquetti
• Host Institution: Instituto do Mar (IMar). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/12654-4 - Marine myxobacteria from the state of São Paulo as a source of protease inhibitors, AP.BTA.R

Abstract

Myxobacteria are Gram-negative bacteria known for their social behavior and predatory abilities. Their ability to degrade a wide range of substrates, such as proteins and amino acids, and cause lysis of other bacteria are related to the production of antibiotic and hydrolytic enzymes, thus indicating their biological complexity, ecological relevance and biotechnological potential. In recent years, our research group has been dedicated to exploring the biotechnological potential of Brazilian myxobacteria, given that, in Brazil, there is little information about the occurrence of these microorganisms, especially in coastal and marine environments. In view of this, the present proposal aims to study micropredatory behaviors of Brazilian marine myxobacteria considering the production of secondary metabolites and enzymes with antimicrobial activity, and specifically: I) to isolate myxobacteria from coastal regions of São Paulo; II) to evaluate the predatory capacity of myxobacteria strains against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria; III) to evaluate the activity of secondary metabolites obtained from myxobacteria in bacterial models; and IV) to evaluate the degrading activity of enzymes obtained from myxobacteria in bacterial models. The investigation of micropredatory capacities of myxobacteria may reveal compounds with innovative antimicrobial and biochemical properties, leading to the development of new approaches for the biological control of pathogens. Furthermore, the exploration of strains from different environments will broaden our understanding of the functional diversity of these bacteria and their potential applications in biotechnology, medicine and environmental preservation.