Liquid Fungal Cocultivation as a Strategy to Access Bioactive Metabolites

Author(s)

Silva, Airton Damasceno ^[1] ; Pepe Ambrozin, Alessandra Regina ^[2] ; de Camargo, Ana Flavia S. ^[3] ; Nogueira Cruz, Felipe De Paula ^[3] ; Gomes Ferreira, Leonardo Luiz ^[3] ; Krogh, Renata ^[3] ; Silva, Taynara Lopes ^[4] ; Baratella da Cunha Camargo, Ilana Lopes ^[3] ; Andricopulo, Adriano Defini ^[3] ; Vieira, Paulo Cezar ^{[1, 4]}

Affiliation

^[1] Fed Univ Sao Carlos UFSCar, Dept Chem, Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Fed Univ Alfenas Unifal MG, Inst Sci & Technol, Pocos De Caldas, MG - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Sao Carlos Inst Phys, Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Pharmaceut Sci Ribeirao Preto, Dept Biomol Sci, Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Planta Medica; v. 87, n. 01/02, p. 187-195, FEB 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Fungi are a rich source of bioactive compounds. Fungal cocultivation is a method of potentiating chemical interactions and, consequently, increasing bioactive molecule production. In this study, we evaluated the bactericidal, antiprotozoal, and cathepsin V inhibition activities of extracts from axenic cultures of 6 fungi ( Fusarium guttiforme, Pestalotiopsis diospyri, Phoma caricae-papayae, Colletotrichum horii, Phytophthora palmivora , and C. gloeosporioides ) that infest tropical fruits and 57 extracts obtained by their cocultivation. Our results reveal that fungal cocultivation enhances the biological activity of the samples, since all extracts that were active on Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, Trypanosoma cruzi , and Leishmania infantum were obtained from cocultivation. Bacterial growth is either totally or partially inhibited by 46% of the extracts. Two extracts containing mainly fusaric and 9,10-dehydrofusaric acids were particularly active. The presence of the fungus F. guttiforme in co-cultures that give rise to extracts with the highest activities against L. infantum . An axenic culture gave rise to the most active extract for the inhibition of cathepsin V; however, other coculture extracts also exhibited activity toward this biological target. Therefore, the results of the biological activities indicate that fungal cocultivation increased the biological potential of samples, likely due to the hostile and competitive environment that pushes microorganisms to produce substances important for defense and allows access to metabolic routes then silenced in milder cultivation conditions. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/50249-8 - Green chemistry: sustainable synthetic methods employing benign solvents, safer reagents, and bio-renewable feedstock
• Grantee: Arlene Gonçalves Corrêa
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Centers in Engineering Program
• FAPESP's process: 19/04788-8 - Evaluation of activity of natural products and other compounds against multidrug resistant bacteria and their biofilms
• Grantee: Felipe de Paula Nogueira Cruz
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Technical Training Program - Technical Training
• FAPESP's process: 13/07600-3 - CIBFar - Center for Innovation in Biodiversity and Drug Discovery
• Grantee: Glaucius Oliva
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC