Phyllosphere of the Atlantic Forest: isolation and systematic of Cyanobacteria, bioprospection and diazotrophic community characterization

Author(s)

Ana Paula Dini Andreote

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Piracicaba.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA/STB)
• Defense date: 2014-01-30

Examining board members

Marli de Fatima Fiore; Luis Henrique Zanini Branco; Alessandra Giani; Ernani Pinto Junior; Celia Leite Sant\'Anna

• Advisor: Marli de Fatima Fiore

Abstract

The phyllosphere of the Atlantic Forest is an important niche for colonization by microorganisms, whose community is still little known. Some bacteria associated with leaf surfaces may possess the ability to fix nitrogen, mineralize the organic substrates and also supply the trees with carbon dioxide and growth factors. Therefore, this study aimed to generate information about cyanobacterial community that colonize the phyllosphere of some plants of the Atlantic Forest and investigated the diazotrophic community in this habitat. A total of 40 strains of Cyanobacteria from the phyllosphere of Merostachys neesii (bamboo), Euterpe edulis (Juçara palm), Garcinia gardneriana and Guapira opposita was isolated and cultivated. The isolates were characterized by morphological analyses and phylogeny of the 16S rRNA gene. This approach allowed the identification of one strain of the genus Nostoc, seven Desmonostoc, six Leptolyngbya, one Oculatella, five Brasilonema, one Pleurocapsa and two Chroococcidiopsis. Seventeen strains (one Microchaetaceae, ten Nostocaceae and six Pseudanabaenaceae) could not be identified at the genus level. Twenty-six strains (24 belonging to Nostocales and two belonging to Pseudanabaenales) were characterized as diazotrophic by amplification, sequencing and phylogeny of nifH gene. Also, it was characterized the profile of biological nitrogen fixation for the strain Desmonostoc sp. CENA362. Regarding the biotechnological potential of these strains, thirteen strains were identified as potential producers of indole acetic acid (IAA) according to Salkowski test. Several strains presented genes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of the protease inhibitor microviridin, three of them encoding putative novel variants. Moreover, ten strains were identified as potential producers of aeruginosin, three of cyanopeptolin and three of microcystin. The diazotrophic bacterial community evaluated by pyrosequencing of the nifH gene showed a profile of variation plant species-specific for Proteobacteria, and a positive correlation between richness and biological nitrogen fixation. In this study, cyanobacteria that inhabiting Brazilian Atlantic Forest phyllosphere were isolated and are been maintained in culture conditions. New taxa were discovered and several known genera were described for the first time in this habitat, which contributed to improvement of the cyanobacterial systematic. The culturable strains and the information generated about their metabolites compounds represent a valuable source for further studies. In addition, information about the diazotrophic bacterial community inhabiting the phyllosphere may help in understanding the dynamics of nitrogen, a limiting and low available element in Atlantic Forest (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/15402-1 - Cyanobacteria of the Atlantic Forest phyllosphere: isolation, taxonomy and bioprospecting
• Grantee: Ana Paula Dini Andreote
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate