Application of biotechnology to evaluate plant-microorganism interaction during production of secondary metabolites in Peritassa campestris and its endophytes

Abstract

This project targeted the species Peritassa campestris (Celastraceae), a plant native to the hotspot biome Cerrado. This species can biosynthesize quinonemetide triterpenes, which display potent antitumor activity and constitute the chemotaxonomic markers of the family Celastraceae. These triterpenes have attracted researchers' interest due to their countless pharmacological properties. However, these metabolites exist only at low concentrations in the barks of the roots of plants belonging to the family Celastraceae, so their use in in vivo pharmacological assays and clinical phase trials is difficult. Investigations into species belonging to the family Celastraceae have focused on the genus Maytenus and on the species P. campestris, but little information exists on the chemical and/or pharmacological properties of quinonemetide triterpenes. Moreover, 14-15-eno-quinonemetide triterpenes occur in species of the genera Peritassa sp. and Salacia sp., but their pharmacological properties remain little explored. Furthermore, there has been no investigation into how the endophytic organisms that host these species stimulate the biosynthesis of quinonemetide triterpenes. Hence, this project will assess how endophytes influence the production of quinonemetide triterpenes in P. campestris roots in vitro; it will also evaluate the production of these compounds by the endophytic microorganisms themselves. To this end, the endophytes will be isolated and multiplied, to elicit root growth in vitro. The production of the triterpenes will be analyzed in elicited roots, non-elicited roots, and isolated microorganisms. In addition, this project intends to clarify ecological issues related to the symbiosis between P. campestris and its endophytes. This work will rely on the development of interdisciplinary research, which shall (1) contribute with relevant results in the field of biotechnology, chemistry, and pharmacology; (2) help to lay the grounds for the sustainable use of biodiversity; and (3) aid understanding of the mutual relations taking place between plants and microorganisms, especially during the production of quinonemetide triterpenes, which are potentially relevant in anticancer therapy. (AU)