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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » Natural Products Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #302836
Title: Diversity and bioprospection of fungal community present in oligotrophic soil of continental Antarctica

Author
item GODINHO, VALERIA - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais
item GONCALVES, VIVIAN - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais
item SANTIAGO, IARA - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais
item FIGUEREDO, HERBERT - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais
item VITORELI, GISLAINE - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais
item SCHAEFER, CARLOS - Universidade Federal De Vicosa
item BARBOSA, EMERSON - Universidade Federal De Vicosa
item OLIVEIRA, JAQUELLINE - Universidade Federal De Vicosa
item ALVES, TANIA - Universidade Federal De Vicosa
item ZANI, CARLOS - Universidade Federal De Vicosa
item POLICARPO JR., A.S. - Universidade Federal De Vicosa
item MURTA, SILVANE - Universidade Federal De Vicosa
item ROMANHA, ALVARO - Universidade Federal De Vicosa
item KROON, ERNA GEESSIEN - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais
item Cantrell, Charles
item Wedge, David
item Duke, Stephen
item ALI, ABBAS - University Of Mississippi
item ROSA, CARLOS - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais
item ROSA, LUIZ - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais

Submitted to: Extremophiles
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/16/2015
Publication Date: 3/26/2015
Citation: Godinho, V.M., Goncalves, V.N., Santiago, I.F., Figueredo, H.M., Vitoreli, G.A., Schaefer, C.E., Barbosa, E.C., Oliveira, J.G., Alves, T.M., Zani, C.L., Policarpo Jr., A., Murta, S.M., Romanha, A.J., Kroon, E., Cantrell, C.L., Wedge, D.E., Duke, S.O., Ali, A., Rosa, C.A., Rosa, L.H. 2015. Diversity and bioprospection of fungal community present in oligotrophic soil of continental Antarctica. Extremophiles. 19:585-596.

Interpretive Summary: Bioprospecting has been defined as the systematic search for organisms, compounds and genes, which might have a potential biotechnological benefit as well as lead to product development. Over the course of the last century, fungi have been used as a source of different bioactive secondary metabolites and they are considered prolific producers of prototype molecules, which can be used as templates to develop new drugs or pesticides. The diversity of fungal communities from different substrates in Antarctica were studied and their capability to produce bioactive compounds. One hundred and one fungal isolates were identified by molecular analysis in 35 different fungal taxa from 20 genera. The fungal communities displayed high richness, diversity and dominance indices. All fungal isolates were cultured to produce ethanolic extracts, which were screened against different target organisms to detect antimicrobial, cytotoxic and antiprotozoal activities. Our results suggest that the Antarctic Peninsula represents a rich and potential habitat for obtaining extremophile fungi that may have unique metabolic systems with the ability to produce bioactive compounds.

Technical Abstract: The diversity of fungal communities from different substrates in Antarctica were studied and their capability to produce bioactive compounds. A one hundred and one fungal isolates were identified by molecular analysis in 35 different fungal taxa from 20 genera. Pseudogymnoascus sp. 3, Pseudogymnoascus sp. 1, Penicillium sp., Peniophora sp. and Mortierella alpina were the most frequent taxa identified. The fungal communities displayed high richness, diversity and dominance indices. Additionally, the rarefaction curves indicated that not all of the fungal diversity present was recovered. All fungal isolates were cultured to produce ethanolic extracts, which were screened against different target organisms to detect antimicrobial, cytotoxic and antiprotozoal activities. Twenty extracts showed moderate to high and selective antifungal activity against the human pathogenic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. The extract of Purpureocillium lilacinum displayed high trypanocidal, antifungal and antibacterial activities with moderate toxicity over normal cells, in which a preliminary 1H NMR spectral analysis using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated the presence of compounds containing a highly functionalized aromatic ring system. Our results suggest that the Antarctic Peninsula represents a rich and potential habitat for obtaining extremophile fungi that may have unique metabolic systems with the ability to produce bioactive compounds.