Bioprospecting endophytic fungi isolated from Amazon guarana tree

Abstract

Endophytic fungi are involved in the production of new compounds with biotechnological interest, as applications in medicine, industry and agriculture. These microorganisms are important candidates in the control of pathogens, including fungi of the genus Colletotrichum, which are considered the major phytopathogen of the world, causing significant economic damage to various crops, such as guarana and green pepper. The guarana fruit (Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis (Mart.) Duke) is native from Amazon and is one of the main products of the states of Amazonas and Bahia and has great economic and social importance to Brazil. Whereas the pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is one of the ten most important vegetable crops in the Brazilian market and has its biggest production concentrated in the states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais. Once there are no studies using bioactive compounds produced by endophytic allied to the other diseases control, the present research project aims to research and evaluate chemical and biological compounds from endophytic fungi, as known as a promising source of natural products, show a great diversity of chemical bioactive structure and have not being explored properly. After isolation and cultivation of those fungi, fractions and extracts will be submitted to chemical analysis and biological assays against Colletotrichum spp. mycelial growth "in vitro". Since the number of known fungi species still low, according to the literature, there is great potential to be explored, suggesting that some species can provide important information for the scientific community.