Norma Buarque de Gusmão

Antibacterial and antifungal activities of Myracrodruon urundeuva heartwood

The aim of this work was to isolate a lectin from Myracrodruon urundeuva heartwood and to evaluate its antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi that attack plants, including woods. The lectin was isolated from heartwood through affinity chromatography on a chitin column monitored by hemagglutination assay. The lectin inhibited Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and was more effective than antifungal Cercobin in growth inhibition of phytopathogenic fungi. The detected antimicrobial activity reveals the possible role of the lectin in the resistance of M. urundeuva heartwood against deteriorative biological agents. The M. urundeuva lectin is the first bioactive peptide found in heartwood, probably stored as a chemical protection against biodegradation.

New bioemulsifiers produced by Candida lipolytica using D-glucose and babassu oil as carbon sources

Candida lipolytica IA 1055 produced extracellular biosurfactants with emulsification activity by fermentation using babassu oil and D-glucose as carbon sources. Natural seawater diluted at 50% supplemented with urea, ammonium sulfate, and phosphate was used as economic basal medium. The best results were achieved with the YSW-B2 medium, which contained urea, ammonium sulfate, and babassu oil and with YSW-B3 medium, which contained urea, ammonium sulfate, phosphate, and babassu oil, kept under fed batch fermentation for 60 hours with 5% of babassu oil. For the two media, the maximum specific growth rates were 0.02 h-1 and 0.04 h-1; the generation times were 34.6 h-1 and 17.3 h-1, and the emulsification activities were 0.666 and 0.158 units, respectively. The molecules of these new bioemulsifiers were contituted of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids.

Biotreatment of textile effluent in static bioreactor by Curvularia lunata URM 6179 and Phanerochaete chrysosporium URM 6181

Investigations on biodegradation of textile effluent by filamentous fungi strains Curvularia lunata URM 6179 and Phanerochaete chrysosporium URM 6181 were performed in static bioreactors under aerated and non-aerated conditions. Spectrophotometric, HPLC/UV and LC-MS/MS analysis were performed as for to confirm, respectively, decolourisation, biodegradation and identity of compounds in the effluent. Enzymatic assays revealed higher production of enzymes laccase (Lac), lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP) by P. chrysosporium URM 6181 in aerated bioreactor (2020; 39 and 392 U/l, respectively). Both strains decolourised completely the effluent after ten days and biodegradation of the most predominant indigo dye was superior in aerated bioreactor (96%). Effluent treated by P. chrysosporium URM 6181 accumulated a mutagenic metabolite derived from indigo. The C. lunata URM 6179 strain, showed to be more successful for assure the environmental quality of treated effluent. These systems were found very effective for efficient fungal treatment of textile effluent.

Neosartorya takakii, a new species from soil in Brazil

Among the isolates from soil of grassland in Roraima State, Brazil, a new species ofNeosartorya, N. takakii is described and illustrated.Neosartorya takakii differs from the other known species of the genus in having lenticular ascospores with two distinct equatorial crests and with roughly circularly arranged projections on the convex walls. A comparative SEM view of ascospores from six relatedNeosartorya species is also provided.

Waste Soybean Oil and Corn Steep Liquor as Economic Substrates for Bioemulsifier and Biodiesel Production by Candida lipolytica UCP 0998

Almost all oleaginous microorganisms are available for biodiesel production, and for the mechanism of oil accumulation, which is what makes a microbial approach economically competitive. This study investigated the potential that the yeast Candida lipolytica UCP0988, in an anamorphous state, has to produce simultaneously a bioemulsifier and to accumulate lipids using inexpensive and alternative substrates. Cultivation was carried out using waste soybean oil and corn steep liquor in accordance with 22 experimental designs with 1% inoculums (107 cells/mL). The bioemulsifier was produced in the cell-free metabolic liquid in the late exponential phase (96 h), at Assay 4 (corn steep liquor 5% and waste soybean oil 8%), with 6.704 UEA, IE24 of 96.66%, and showed an anionic profile. The emulsion formed consisted of compact small and stable droplets (size 0.2–5 µm), stable at all temperatures, at pH 2 and 4, and 2% salinity, and showed an ability to remove 93.74% of diesel oil from sand. The displacement oil (ODA) showed 45.34 cm2 of dispersion (central point of the factorial design). The biomass obtained from Assay 4 was able to accumulate lipids of 0.425 g/g biomass (corresponding to 42.5%), which consisted of Palmitic acid (28.4%), Stearic acid (7.7%), Oleic acid (42.8%), Linoleic acid (19.0%), and γ-Linolenic acid (2.1%). The results showed the ability of C. lipopytica to produce both bioemulsifier and biodiesel using the metabolic conversion of waste soybean oil and corn steep liquor, which are economic renewable sources.

Atividade antimicrobiana de derivados fenólicos do líquen Ramalina sorediosa (B. de Lesd.) Laundron

The antimicrobian activity of crude extracts from Ramalina sorediosa was detected by the diffusion disc-paper method. Two phenolic compounds from the lichen considered active were detected by using biochromathograhyc technique. Two of those compounds were identified through thin layer chromatographic technique (TLC) as been usnic acid and the second one, wich is present in higher concentration when compared with the other substances, was the homosekikaik acid. The TLC and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) assays still detected the salazanic acid presence. The obtained data make it possible to attribute the antibiotic activity of this species to a synergic association of those two substances.

Produção de compostos fenólicos a partir de células imobilizadas do líquen Parmotrema andinum (Müll. Arg.) Hale e avaliação de atividade antimicrobiana

A utilizacao de metabolitos secundarios obtidos de liquens, na industria farmaceutica, de cosmetico, textil e de alimentos deve ser criteriosa, visto que a extracao e isolamento desses metabolitos requerem uma grande quantidade de biomassa dificilmente renovavel, devido ao crescimento lento do liquen. Atualmente, e possivel obter substâncias liquenicas tanto por cultivo de tecidos, como por imobilizacoes celulares e enzimaticas, a partir do talo in natura, utilizando pequena quantidade de material liquenico. Portanto, este trabalho objetiva investigar a producao de compostos fenolicos a partir de celulas imobilizadas de Parmotrema andinum (Mull. Arg.) Hale utilizando acetato de sodio como precursor da biossintese dos fenois. Ensaios de atividade antimicrobiana com extratos orgânicos do talo in natura, eluatos celulares e do acido lecanorico isolado de P. andinum Hale demonstraram acao contra bacterias Gram-positivas. Atraves de testes biocromatograficos foi possivel associar a atividade antibacteriana ao acido lecanorico e uma substância nao identificada presente na especie. As substâncias produzidas atraves de imobilizacao celular nao exibiram acao inibitoria frente os microrganismos testados.

Antimicrobial activity of Buchenavia tetraphylla against Candida albicans strains isolated from vaginal secretions

Abstract Context: Buchenavia tetraphylla (Aubl.) RA Howard (Combretaceae: Combretoideae) is an ethnomedicinal plant with reported antifungal action. Objective: This study evaluates the antimicrobial activity of B. tetraphylla leaf extracts against clinical isolates of Candida albicans. The morphological alterations, combinatory effects with fluconazole and the cytotoxicity of the active extract were analyzed. Materials and methods: Extracts were obtained using different solvents (hexane: BTHE; chloroform: BTCE; ethyl acetate: BTEE; and methanol: BTME). Antimicrobial activity was determined by the broth microdilution method using nine strains of C. albicans isolated from vaginal secretions and one standard strain (UFPEDA 1007). Results: All extracts showed anti-C. albicans activity, including against the azole-resistant strains. The MIC values ranged from 156 to 2500 μg/mL for the BTHE; 156 to 1250 μg/mL for the BTCE; 625 to 1250 μg/mL for the BTME and 625 μg/mL to 2500 μg/mL for the BTEE. BTME showed the best anti-C. albicans activity. This extract demonstrated additive/synergistic interactions with fluconazole. Scanning electron microscopy analysis suggested that the BTME interferes with the cell division and development of C. albicans. BTME showed IC50 values of 981 and 3935 μg/mL, against J774 macrophages and human erythrocytes, respectively. This extract also enhanced the production of nitric oxide by J774 macrophages. Discussion and conclusion: Buchenavia tetraphylla methanolic extract (BTME) is a great source of antimicrobial compounds that are able to enhance the action of fluconazole against different C. albicans strains; this action seems related to inhibition of cell division.

Synthesis of 4-amino-2,6-diaryl-5-cyanopyrimidines as antimicrobial agents

ABSTRACT This article describes an efficient and facile synthesis of 11 2,4,6-trisubstituted 5-cyanopyrimidines starting from meta- and para-substituted 2-cyanocinnamonitriles and arylamidines. The synthesized heterocycles, 3a–k, were characterized by infrared (IR), 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and mass spectral data. The probable mechanism of formation of the title compounds employing 2-cyanocinnamonitriles and arylamidines in the presence of a base was clarified. A preliminary screening of the antibacterial tests clearly showed that 4 out of 11 pyrimidines, 3a, 3e, 3f, and 3k, were effective against bacteria Staphyloccus aureus, Bacillus subtillis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Further, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against the bacteria has been determined. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Produção de metabólitos bioativos pelo líquen Cladonia substellata Vainio

ABSTRACT – (Production of bioactive metabolites from lichen Cladonia substellata Vainio). This work purposed to make a comparisonbetween antimicrobial activity of crude extracts from Cladonia substellata , collected at Minas Gerais and Para States, Brazil, using thediffusion solid medium methods. Ether, chloroform, and acetone extracts, at 1 mg/mL, 0.1 mg/mL, and 0.01 mg/mL, were tested againsthuman pathogens and phytopathogens. The extracts were submitted to thin layer chromatography and their active p rinciplesattributed by biochromatography. The results demonstrated that the seven fungi species tested were no sensitive to extracts from C. substellata from Para. On the other hand, four of these microorganisms were inhibited by C. substellata extracts from Minas Gerais.All extracts were active to the same bacteria species, but samples from Minas Gerais showed the highest activity. Among the inh ibitedbacteria Staphylococcus aureus was the less sensitive, with an opposite behavior to phytopathogen ones, that showed the highestsensitivity. Chromatographic assays revealed the presence of usnic acid in all extracts, thus in the most content in Para samples. Thebiochromatograms reveals usnic acid as active principle of the species, and a synergic action to norstictic acid found in Minas Geraissamples, what justify its highest activity.