Studies conducted by Embrapa Western Amazon in partnership with three Brazilian universities demonstrated that guarana plants (Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis) have microorganisms with biotechnological potential for agriculture and human health. Molecular biology tools allowed the scientific unmasking of a “microworld” with thousand of endophytes (organisms that are harmless to the plant) in the species' microbiome. Such studies led to the prospection of microorganisms and molecules of interest for agriculture and human health. The scientific discovery of the “microworld” of endophytes not only opens possibilities to understand mechanisms associated with the host plant, but they also offer the possibility of applying such microorganisms in other different plants. The studies happened through the research project “Microoma - Amazonian Microbiomes, an approach for the sustainability and prospection of bioassets”, developed in partnership with Embrapa Western Amazon, the Federal University of Amazonas (Ufam), Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT) and the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), with funding from the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes). At Capes, the general coordination of the project was the responsibility of the lecturer Jania Lília Bentes, from Ufam. About endophytes Endophytes live in symbiosis with the host plant and play a few roles in plant development like nutrient supply or hormone synthesis. There is also evidence of possible action in the control plant disease-causing agents. Because of those characteristics, they are seen as a source for the development of new biotechnological products with application in agriculture, either as plant growth promoters or as an alternative to replace or reduce the use of agrochemicals. However, obtaining the end product requires several stages of research and bioassays. When studying guarana plants, the Microoma project focused on detecting cultivatable and non-cultivatable microorganisms, aiming to identify species with biotechnological potential. The selected microorganisms do not cause guarana plants to have diseases. Therefore, they are considered endophytes, that is, they are capable of coexisting inside the plant, colonizing its tissue without causing harm, and can even perform roles that help the plant. The guarana plants used to research microbiome were collected in the Amazon region, more precisely in Embrapa's experimental fields in the cities of Manaus and Maués, where the company maintains their Active Germplasm Bank (BAG), whose main purpose is the conservation of guarana's genetic diversity for use in research. From that material, UFMT's Laboratory of Biotechnology and Microbial Ecology isolated hundreds of bacteria and cultivatable fungi, which were later identified with the help of molecular techniques at Embrapa Western Amazon's Laboratory of Molecular Biology. After the selection and identification of the microorganisms, some bacteria and fungi present in the guarana microbiome with chances of turning into products were selected. “Some microorganisms with biotechnological potential for antimicrobial and anticancer activity were found”, states Gilvan Ferreira da Silva, who coordinates the Microoma research project activities at Embrapa Western Amazon. These studies have provided the basis for other ongoing research on, for instance, the possible application of such microorganisms to control pathogens in cash crops. The second stage of the work generated the bacterial metagenome and a large microbial diversity associated wth guarana plants was discovered. The results were published on the November issue of the World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. “They identified over 19 phyla, 32 classes, 79 orders, 114 families and 174 genera of bacteria, and the equivalent to 1,520 species of bacteria living in guarana plants, living in harmony with the plant”, the researcher reports. Guarana plant breeding generated 20 new cultivars Guarana is a native Amazon plant, whose processed fruits produce guarana powder, popularly known for its use as a stimulant. Studies point that guaraná is rich in caffeine and offers antioxidant properties. Embrapa Western Amazon maintains the only gene bank and breeding program for the species in the world. Twenty cultivars that are productive and resistant to the main diseases that affect this plant were launched throughout the last 40 years. (Photo of guarana plant by Felipe Rosa to the left). The Microoma project, which initiated in 2014, aimed at characterizing the microbiome of two native species of the Amazon region and that are important crops from an economic point of view. Besides guarana (Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis), rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) also comprise the project. And new species of microorganisms were identified both around guarana and rubber trees. Researchers discuss the biotechnological potential of guarana's microorganisms Microorganism bank is source of bioproducts The research led to the establishment of a microorganism bank in the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Microbial Ecology of UFMT's Institute of Biosciences. This bank has fungi and bacteria and is being used as a prospection source for other research. In one of the studies developed by the research group at UFMT's Biotechnology and Microbial Ecology, the lecturer Rhavena Graziela Liotti managed to obtain lineages of guarana's endophytic microorganisms with biotechnological potential to control bell pepper pathogens pre- and post-harvest, on top of promoting growth in such plants, informs the UFMT lecturer Marcos Antônio Soares (photo), research group coordinator. The study verified the potential of one of these microorganisms to fight a fungus from the Colletotrichum genus, which causes bell pepper anthracnose, and the microorganism also protected the plant from Fusarium, which attacks the roots and reduces plant growth. The bell pepper plants in which the microorganism from guarana plants was inoculated grew more and with more biomass, reports the UFMT lecturer Marcos Soares. Soares states that in another study based on the bank of guarana's endophytic microorganisms, the student Fábio Azevedo obtained fungus lineages that produce molecules of pharmaceutical interest due to their antimicrobial and anticancer action. The assessment of one of those compounds observed it killed tumor cells in vitro. “Guarana plants are a natural reserve of important microorganisms for the pharmaceutical industry”, the lecturer concludes. Photo: Siglia Souza Study a pioneer in full plant metagenome Molecular biology is fundamental to assess the biodiversity of endophytic microorganisms associated with a plant. A first study under the Microoma project in 2018 identified through in vitro culture a bacterial community with 95 species of bacteria. The analysis through molecular biology techniques, metagenomics in this case, resulted in more than ten times the earlier amount, and over 1,500 species of bacteria were found to be coexisting in guarana. In this last case, it was not necessary to isolate the organism in a culture medium for identification. With metagenomics, the DNA of the microorganism is extracted and sequenced. This allows the identification of a higher number of microorganisms, as not all species can survive outside natural conditions and grow in artificial culture media. “We are only able to cultivate in laboratory a very small percentage of what really exists out there”, Gilvan Silva explains. Through the Microoma project, for the first time the metagenome of all guarana plant parts was generated, including roots, stem, leaves and fruits. The researchers Gilvan Silva (photo) and Marcos Soares report that there were previous analyses of plant parts, but a study with the microbiome for the whole plant had not been done. “The species wealth is quite significant, it is surprising”, Silva asserts. Photo:Síglia Souza Translation: Mariana Medeiros
Photo: Siglia Souza
Studies conducted by Embrapa Western Amazon in partnership with three Brazilian universities demonstrated that guarana plants (Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis) have microorganisms with biotechnological potential for agriculture and human health. Molecular biology tools allowed the scientific unmasking of a “microworld” with thousand of endophytes (organisms that are harmless to the plant) in the species' microbiome. Such studies led to the prospection of microorganisms and molecules of interest for agriculture and human health.
The scientific discovery of the “microworld” of endophytes not only opens possibilities to understand mechanisms associated with the host plant, but they also offer the possibility of applying such microorganisms in other different plants.
The studies happened through the research project “Microoma - Amazonian Microbiomes, an approach for the sustainability and prospection of bioassets”, developed in partnership with Embrapa Western Amazon, the Federal University of Amazonas (Ufam), Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT) and the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), with funding from the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes). At Capes, the general coordination of the project was the responsibility of the lecturer Jania Lília Bentes, from Ufam.
About endophytes
Endophytes live in symbiosis with the host plant and play a few roles in plant development like nutrient supply or hormone synthesis. There is also evidence of possible action in the control plant disease-causing agents.
Because of those characteristics, they are seen as a source for the development of new biotechnological products with application in agriculture, either as plant growth promoters or as an alternative to replace or reduce the use of agrochemicals. However, obtaining the end product requires several stages of research and bioassays.
When studying guarana plants, the Microoma project focused on detecting cultivatable and non-cultivatable microorganisms, aiming to identify species with biotechnological potential. The selected microorganisms do not cause guarana plants to have diseases. Therefore, they are considered endophytes, that is, they are capable of coexisting inside the plant, colonizing its tissue without causing harm, and can even perform roles that help the plant.
The guarana plants used to research microbiome were collected in the Amazon region, more precisely in Embrapa's experimental fields in the cities of Manaus and Maués, where the company maintains their Active Germplasm Bank (BAG), whose main purpose is the conservation of guarana's genetic diversity for use in research.
From that material, UFMT's Laboratory of Biotechnology and Microbial Ecology isolated hundreds of bacteria and cultivatable fungi, which were later identified with the help of molecular techniques at Embrapa Western Amazon's Laboratory of Molecular Biology. After the selection and identification of the microorganisms, some bacteria and fungi present in the guarana microbiome with chances of turning into products were selected. “Some microorganisms with biotechnological potential for antimicrobial and anticancer activity were found”, states Gilvan Ferreira da Silva, who coordinates the Microoma research project activities at Embrapa Western Amazon.
These studies have provided the basis for other ongoing research on, for instance, the possible application of such microorganisms to control pathogens in cash crops.
The second stage of the work generated the bacterial metagenome and a large microbial diversity associated wth guarana plants was discovered. The results were published on the November issue of the World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. “They identified over 19 phyla, 32 classes, 79 orders, 114 families and 174 genera of bacteria, and the equivalent to 1,520 species of bacteria living in guarana plants, living in harmony with the plant”, the researcher reports.
Guarana plant breeding generated 20 new cultivars
Guarana is a native Amazon plant, whose processed fruits produce guarana powder, popularly known for its use as a stimulant. Studies point that guaraná is rich in caffeine and offers antioxidant properties. Embrapa Western Amazon maintains the only gene bank and breeding program for the species in the world. Twenty cultivars that are productive and resistant to the main diseases that affect this plant were launched throughout the last 40 years. (Photo of guarana plant by Felipe Rosa to the left).
The Microoma project, which initiated in 2014, aimed at characterizing the microbiome of two native species of the Amazon region and that are important crops from an economic point of view. Besides guarana (Paullinia cupana var. sorbilis), rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) also comprise the project. And new species of microorganisms were identified both around guarana and rubber trees.
Researchers discuss the biotechnological potential of guarana's microorganisms
Microorganism bank is source of bioproducts
The research led to the establishment of a microorganism bank in the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Microbial Ecology of UFMT's Institute of Biosciences. This bank has fungi and bacteria and is being used as a prospection source for other research.
In one of the studies developed by the research group at UFMT's Biotechnology and Microbial Ecology, the lecturer Rhavena Graziela Liotti managed to obtain lineages of guarana's endophytic microorganisms with biotechnological potential to control bell pepper pathogens pre- and post-harvest, on top of promoting growth in such plants, informs the UFMT lecturer Marcos Antônio Soares (photo), research group coordinator.
The study verified the potential of one of these microorganisms to fight a fungus from the Colletotrichum genus, which causes bell pepper anthracnose, and the microorganism also protected the plant from Fusarium, which attacks the roots and reduces plant growth. The bell pepper plants in which the microorganism from guarana plants was inoculated grew more and with more biomass, reports the UFMT lecturer Marcos Soares.
Soares states that in another study based on the bank of guarana's endophytic microorganisms, the student Fábio Azevedo obtained fungus lineages that produce molecules of pharmaceutical interest due to their antimicrobial and anticancer action. The assessment of one of those compounds observed it killed tumor cells in vitro. “Guarana plants are a natural reserve of important microorganisms for the pharmaceutical industry”, the lecturer concludes.
Photo: Siglia Souza
Study a pioneer in full plant metagenome
Molecular biology is fundamental to assess the biodiversity of endophytic microorganisms associated with a plant.
A first study under the Microoma project in 2018 identified through in vitro culture a bacterial community with 95 species of bacteria. The analysis through molecular biology techniques, metagenomics in this case, resulted in more than ten times the earlier amount, and over 1,500 species of bacteria were found to be coexisting in guarana.
In this last case, it was not necessary to isolate the organism in a culture medium for identification. With metagenomics, the DNA of the microorganism is extracted and sequenced. This allows the identification of a higher number of microorganisms, as not all species can survive outside natural conditions and grow in artificial culture media. “We are only able to cultivate in laboratory a very small percentage of what really exists out there”, Gilvan Silva explains.
Through the Microoma project, for the first time the metagenome of all guarana plant parts was generated, including roots, stem, leaves and fruits. The researchers Gilvan Silva (photo) and Marcos Soares report that there were previous analyses of plant parts, but a study with the microbiome for the whole plant had not been done. “The species wealth is quite significant, it is surprising”, Silva asserts.
Guarana plant breeding generated 20 new cultivars