Enzymatic fluorination of natural products is extremely rare. Of the 4000 halogenated natural products identified, only 13 possess a fluorine atom. The C-F bond forming enzyme from the soil bacterium, Streptomyces cattleya, remains the only native enzyme to be identified that is capable of such biochemistry. It generates 5’-fluoro-5-deoxyadenosine (5‘-FDA) from S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) and F-. The “fluorinase” is the first committed step toward the biosynthesis of the two fluorometabolites, 4-fluorothreonine and fluoroacetate, via the common intermediate, fluoroacetaldehyde (FAld). The enzymatic steps responsible for the conversion of 5’-FDA to the fluorometabolites remained to be fully characterised when this project began. Previously, a purine nucleoside phosphorylase was identified that was capable of generating 5-fluorodeoxyribose-1-phosphate (5-FDRP) from 5’-FDA. 5-FDRP is subsequently isomerised to 5-fluorodeoxyribulose-1-phosphate (5-FDRulP) by an aldose-ketose isomerase enzyme. Chapter 2 describes the identification of the isomerase gene from the genomic DNA of S. cattleya and the corresponding protein product was capable of generating 5-FDRulP from 5-FDRP. The next intermediate, FAld, is generated from 5-FDRulP by a fuculose aldolase. Attempts to identify the aldolase gene from S. cattleya were unsuccessful, however a putative fuculose aldolase from Streptomyces coelicolor was isolated that could generate FAld from 5-FDRulP, which is described in Chapter 3. Following the identification and over expression of a PLP-dependant transaldolase, which generates 4-fluorothreonine (4-FT) from FAld and L-threonine in S. cattleya, Chapter 4 details the successful in vitro reconstitution of fluorometabolite biosynthesis using five over- expressed enzymes. In Chapter 5, attempts to develop a novel assay for fluorinase activity was explored. The colorimetric detection of L-methionine produced by the fluorinase in a coupled L-amino acid oxidase and horseradish peroxidase assay, leading to the oxidation of a dye substance. This was carried out with interest in developing a high-throughput assay for fluorinase mutants, generated by random mutagenesis, in order to identify those with increased activity. In the event, it proved unsuccessful.

Actinomycetes and fungi were successfully isolated from both New Zealand and Malaysian marine invertebrates and classified as facultatively marine based on their ability to grow on both sea water and non-sea water media. Most of the extracts obtained from selected isolates were cytotoxic. A clear preference of the actinomycetes for solid-state fermentation was observed, however, for fungi no significant preference was seen. Three isolates of Streptomyces spp., four Penicillium spp. and two Paecilomyces spp. whose extracts showed good cytotoxicity were selected for further investigation. A small-scale extract obtained from a solid culture of Streptomyces sp. (LA3L2) showed good cytotoxicity and a new cytotoxic metabolite was isolated from a large-scale extract of Streptomyces sp. (LA3L2). This metabolite was characterized as S-methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-6-isopropyl-3,5-dimethylbenzothioate (5.15) and is only the third compound reported to contain the S-methyl benzothioate group. Two known compounds, montagnetol (5.16) and erythrin (5.18), were isolated from a further large-scale cultivation of Streptomyces sp. (LA3L2) and is the first reported actinomycete to produce these lichen-related compounds. In addition, two known inactive metabolites (bohemamine (5.1) and bohemamine B (5.2)) were identified from the small-scale extract. Streptomyces sp. (LA3L2) was also investigated for the effect of temperature and salinity on growth and cytotoxicity and shown to produce bohemamine only at 20 - 28℃ and 4% sea salt concentration on solid media. This isolate gave a low yield of active metabolite under all conditions. Small-scale extracts of two other Streptomyces spp. yielded three known cytotoxic metabolites. These were thiazostatin B (7.14) from Streptomyces sp. (LA5L4) and chromomycin A2 (7.1), chromomycin A3 (7.2) and chromomycin 02-3D (7.3) from Streptomyces sp. (LA3L1). All four Penicillium spp. produced known metabolites. Penicillium sp. (LY1L5) yielded two known metabolites, cycloaspeptide A (7.4) and α-cyclopiazonic acid (7.5). α-Cyclopiazonic acid (7.5) and three other known metabolites (roquefortine A (7.6), cyclopeptin (7.7) and viridicatin (7.8)) were isolated from Penicillum sp. (KK3T23). Penicillium sp. (KK3T8) produced brefeldin A (7.10), while mycophenolic acid (7.12) and brevianamide A (7.11) were produced by Penicillium sp. (KK4T14b). The effect of salinity on growth and cytotoxicity was investigated for the two Penicillium isolates producing the cytotoxic metabolite, α-cyclopiazonic acid (7.5). Saline conditions were not required for growth but metabolite production differed between the two isolates with respect to salinity. Isolate LY1L5 required saline conditions for α-cyclopiazonic production whereas isolate KK3T23 produced the metabolite under non-saline conditions and in concentrations of sea salt up to 6%. Three known compounds, indole-3-carboxylic acid (7.15), indole-3-carboxylate (7.17) and 5-carboxymellein (7.16) were identified from Paecilomyces sp. (PR5L9). Investigation of a small-scale extract obtained from a solid culture of another Paecilomyces sp. (PR10T2) resulted in the isolation and characterization of a unique structure of a symmetrical cyclic depsipeptide, epi-angolide (NAM 6-1). NAM 6-1 was considered as a new compound based on four homoisomeric configurations (A1, A2, A3 and A4). The value of dereplication procedures with respect to the rapid identification of metabolites and enhancement of in-house metabolite libraries is discussed. Structural elucidation of nine known metabolites (7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.10 and 7.11) was greatly aided by the in-house dereplication techniques using LC-MS-UV and AntiMarin database. A significant advantage was gained by the use of the CapNMR which enabled NMR characterization of very small quantities of metabolites (<20 µg). Approximately <5 µg of materials were required to perform 1D proton NMR experiments for the dereplication of seven known compounds; bohemamine (5.1), bohemamine B (5.2), thiazostatin B (7.14), indole-3-carboxylate (7.17) and 5-carboxymellein (7.16). Approximately 20 µg of materials were needed to acquire 1D and 2D (HSQC, HMBC and NOE) NMR spectra for structural elucidation of the new metabolite, S-methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-6-isopropyl-3,5-dimethylbenzothioate (5.15). Some 8 µg of materials were sufficient to perform 1D and 2D (COSY, HSQC and HMBC) NMR experiments for complete structural characterization of two known metabolites, montagnetol (5.16) and erythrin (5.18). Approximately 10 µg of materials were needed to acquire 1D and 2D NMR (COSY, HSQC and HMBC) experiments for structural elucidation of the new compound, epi-angolide NAM 6-1 (A1, A2, A3 and A4). Rapid identification of known fungal metabolites enabled the in-house HPLC-UV/Rt library to be enhanced by eight metabolites (7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.10, 7.11, 7.17 and 7.16). An HPLC-UV/Rt library for actinomycete metabolites was successfully established with the insertion of eight known metabolites (5.1, 5.2, 5.16, 5.18, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 and 7.14).

No description available.

The diploma thesis is focussed on understanding relationships between soil chemical characteristics, actinobacterial communities of agricultural field soils and occurrence of potato common scab, a disease caused by members of the genus Streptomyces. The aim of monitoring study, on thirty-three sites covering main potato- growing regions in the Czech Republic, was to find relationships suitable for prediction of common scab severity. The second part of the thesis compared actinobacterial communities and incidence of Streptomyces harboring a pathogenic determinant, gene txtA (gene of biosynthetic pathway of phytotoxin thaxtomin A), in soils differing in occurrence of common scab. In the screening study, analysis of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) was employed to compare composition of soil actinobacterial communities. Real-time PCR was used to quantify total actinobacteria and streptomycetes harboring txtA gene in soils differing in scab incidence. The screening study revealed negative correlations between the scab severity and (i) available phosphorus in soil and (ii) diversity of actinobaterial community. The results were used to design a model for scab prediction. A qPCR analysis showed difference in numbers of total actinobacteria and the strains harboring txtA gene in...

Die Naturstoffchemie ist ein bedeutendes Teilgebiet der Chemie, da die Naturstoffe, mit ihrer breiten strukturellen Diversität, als neue Leitstrukturen für die Entwicklung spezifisch wirksamer Agrochemikalien und Arzneimittel dienen. Pflanzen und Bodenorganismen sind daher aussichtsreiche Quellen für neue Wirkstoffe im Bereich Pflanzenschutz- und Pharmaforschung. Aus der in der Kongo-Region beheimateten Liane Ancistrocladus ealaensis J. LEONARD (Ancistrocladaceae) wurde sieben Metabolite isoliert: Amyrin, 3,3-Di-O-methylellagsäure, zwei bisher unbekannte Naphthylisochinoline, Ancistroealain A und B, sowie drei Naphthoesäuren, die hier erstmals beschriebenen Ancistronaphthoesäuren A und B, sowie die bisher nur als Syntheseprodukt bekannte Eleutherolsäure. Ausgehend von Ancistroealain A gelang die stereoselektive Partialsynthese des bekannten Ancistrobertsonin C. Ancistroealain A zeigte in-vitro eine zehnfach höhere Aktivität gegen Leishmania donovani, dem Erreger der visceralen Leishmaniose, als das derzeit bei der Behandlung eingesetzte Pentostam. Um für In-vivo-Untersuchungen genug Material zur Verfügung stellen zu können, wurde ein totalsynthetischer Zugang etabliert. Die Suzuki-Kupplung eines geeigneten Isochinolin-Bausteines (zehn Stufen ausgehend von 3,5-Dimethoxybenzoesäure) mit einer Naphthalin-Boronsäure (acht Stufen ausgehend von 3-Methoxybenzaldehyd) führte in einer Gesamtausbeute von 9.2 % bzw. 6.2 % zu dem Naturstoff. Ancistroealain A und sein Atropdiastereomer Ancitrotanzanine B, die an einer chiralen HPLC-Phase getrennt werden konnten, entstanden aufgrund der asymmetrischen Induktion durch das stereogene Zentrum C-3 in einem Verhältnis von 45:55. Der Ansatz einer atropselektiven Suzuki-Kupplung mit chiralem Katalysator führte zu Diastereomerenüberschüssen bis zu 75:25. Aus Pavetta crassipes K. SCHUMANN (Rubiaceae) konnte das Phythosterol Ursolsäure isoliert werden, während aus Rothmannia urcelliformis (HIERN) BULLOCK (Rubiaceae) 1-epi-Geniposid und Gardenamid A isoliert wurde. Im Rahmen einer Kooperation mit H. Rischer gelang die Isolierung von Plumbagin, Plumbasid A und Rossolisid aus der in Neu Guinea beheimateten tropischen Kannenpflanze Nepenthis insignis DANSER. Bei Verfütterungsexperimenten wurde (L)-[13C3,15N]-Alanin in die Kannen von sterilen Pflanzen eingebracht und ein Einbau in Plumbagin beobachtet. Die Pflanze verstoffwechselt die Aminosäuren auf den üblichen Abbauwegen und erlaubt so die Verfütterung von Alanin als ‚maskiertes’ Acetat. Das beobachtete Einbaumuster bewies die polyketidische Biosynthese von Plumbagin. In einer Kooperation mit Prof. Fiedler (Tübingen) wurden Streptomyceten aus extremen Habitaten auf die Produktion interessanter Sekundärmetabolite untersucht und z.B. bekannte Verbindungen wie Sulfomycin I, Benzoesäure, p-(Dimethylamino)-benzoesäure, Juliochrome Q3-3 und Dehydrorabelomycin nachgewiesen. Der alkalophile Stamm AK 409 produzierte Pyrrol-2-carbonsäure und Pyrocoll, das im Rahmen dieser Arbeit erstmals als Naturstoff auftrat. Besonderes Interesse erregten die Antitumor-Eigenschaften von Pyrocoll. Die durchgeführte ‚biomimetische’ Synthese von Pyrocoll ausgehend von Pyrrol-2-carbonsäure ermöglichte es uns, die für die In-vivo-Biotests nötigen Substanzmengen darzustellen. Aus dem Streptomyceten AK 671 wurden eine bekannte Anthrachinoncarbonsäure und ein als Naturstoff neuartiges Diketonaphthalinglucuronid isoliert. Eine enzymatische Hydrolyse führte zu dem Harris-Franck-Keton, das in dem Kulturfiltrat erstmals als Naturstoff nachgewiesen werden konnte. Das bei Verfütterungsexperimenten mit [13C2]-Acetat von uns beobachtete Einbaumuster in das Glucuronid erlaubte die Aufklärung der Schlüsselschritte der Biogenese. Bei der Synthese von Naphthylisochinolinen besteht die zentrale Aufgabe in dem Aufbau der Biarylachse. Bei der Synthese von Ancistrobertsonin A nach dem ‚Lacton-Konzept’ wird ein Naphtalin-Baustein mit einer zusätzlichen C1-Einheit für die Esterbrücke benötigt, die nach der Kupplung entfernt werden muß. Hierzu bewährte sich bei Versuchen an einem Modelsystem die Reaktionssequenz Baeyer-Villiger-Oxidation, Triflierung und reduktive Eliminierung. Der für die Synthese von Ancistrobertsonin A benötigte Naphthalin-Bausteines wurde in neun Stufen (Gesamtausbeute: 37 % bzw. 13%) dargestellt. Die Synthese des Isochinolin-Bausteines gelang in zwölf Stufen (9.4 %). Der Abschluß dieser Synthese ist in zukünftigen Arbeiten geplant. / The natural product chemistry is a important part of chemistry because natural products, with there broad variety of structural features, are new leads for the development of specific pharmaceuticals and pesticides. Plants and microorganisms are excellent sources for new active compounds in pest control and pharmacy. Ancistrocladus ealaensis J. Léonard (Ancistrocladaceae), a tropical liana indigenous to Central Africa, belongs to the small monogeneric family of the Ancistrocladaceae. Seven metabolites were isolated: the well-known phytosterol &#61538;-amyrin , 3,3- di-O-methylellagic acid, two new 5,8’-coupled naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids, ancistroealaines A and B , and three naphthoic acids, the synthetically known eleutherolic acid and the two new naphthoic acids ancistronaphthoic acids A and B. Ancistrobertsonine C was synthesized by stereoselective partial-synthetic preparation starting from ancistroealaine A. Against Leishmania donovani, the pathogen of visceral Leishmaniasis, we found excellent activities of ancistroealaine A, ten times more active than the standard pentostam. The synthesis of ancistroealaine A was established to allow further investigations on the in vivo activities. Starting from 3-methoxybenzaldehyde, the naphthalene moiety was prepared in eight steps. The isoquinoline part was synthesized starting from 3,5-dimethoxybenzoic acid in ten steps. The concluding Suzuki coupling resulted in the natural product with an overall yield of 9.2 % or 6.2 % and a diastereomeric ratio of 45:55 induced by the chiral center C-3. The atropoisomeres were separated by chromatography on a chiral phase. The application of a catalytic atroposelective Suzuki coupling gave diastereomeric ratios up to 75:25 Ursolic acid was found in Pavetta crassipes K. SCHUMANN (Rubiaceae), a shrub indigenous to tropical Africa, whereas 1-epi-geniposide and gardenamide A were isolated from Rothmannia urcelliformis (HIERN) BULLOCK, a small tree, which is widespread in the forests of East Africa. In this work, the absolute configuration of gardenamide A was established. From Nepenthes insignis Danser, a species occurring in the lowlands of New Guinea, three metabolites were isolated: Plumbagin, plumbaside A and rossoliside. Feeding experiments with (L)-[13C3,15N]-alanine revealed the acetogenic origin of plumbagin. This work showed that alanine is transformed into acetyl-CoA and can be used as a ‘masked’ precursor. None of the two glycosides were labelled after any of the feeding experiments. They probably constitute storage forms of the respective naphthoquinones. In cooperation with Prof. Fiedler et al. Streptomyces strains, living under extreme conditions, were screened for secondary metabolites. A number of known compounds such as sulfomycine I, benzoic acid, p-(dimethylamino)-benzoic acid, juliochrome Q3-3 and dehydrorabelomycine were found. The alcalophilic strain AK 409 became attractive due to the isolation of two metabolites, pyrrol-2-carboxylic acid and pyrocoll, the latter found as a natural product for the first time. Pyrocoll exhibited in vitro high anticancer activities. ‘Biomimetic’ synthesis of pyrocoll, starting from pyrrol-2-carboxylic acid led to the desired material and showed a better yield (91 %) than all synthetic pathways previously known. From the strain AK671 two natural products were isolated: a known anthraquinone carboxylic acid and a new diketonaphthalene glucuronide. Enzymatic hydrolysis gave the Harris-Franck ketone, a known synthetic compound, which was found as natural product in the culture for the first time. Even though the enzymes that are responsible for the biosynthetic construction of anthraquinones are well known, intermediates as such are isolated only very rarely. Feeding experiments with [13C2]-acetate resolved the biosynthesis of the Harris-Franck ketone and proofed it to be an intermediate in the synthesis of anthraquinones. For the synthesis of ancistrobertsonine A the ‘lactone concept’ was used. Therefore a naphthalene building block with an additional C1-unit next to the axis was needed. The necessary removal of this group (Baeyer-Villiger oxidation, conversion to the triflate and reductive elimination) after the coupling was tested on a model system. The synthesis of ancistrobertsonine A was developed up to the esterification of the naphthalene building block (synthesised in nine steps) and the isoquinoline moiety (synthesised, starting from 3,5-dimethoxybenzoic acid in twelve steps). The synthesis will be finished in future work.

Orientador: Marcio Vinícius Bertacine Dias / Banca: Gabriel Padilla / Banca: Daniel Maragno Trindade / Resumo: Vários experimentos têm comprovado que compostos naturais podem ter sua atividade biológica alterada devido à presença ou ausência de halogênios ligados. Os antibióticos glicopeptídicos, como a vancomicina e teicoplanina são produtos naturais halogenados que apresentam destacada importância. Halogenases são enzimas que catalizam a transferência de halogênios para um determinado substrato, porém são muito pouco estudadas, principalmente aquelas envolvidas na biossíntese de produtos naturais, como antibióticos glicopeptídicos, mesmo com o seu potencial de aplicação em biologia sintética. Cepas produtoras de glicopeptideos foram obtidas da coleção NRRL e crescidas em meio TSB. O DNA foi extraído e os genes de 3 diferentes halogenases (staI e staK de Streptomyces toyocaensis, composto 47934 and Orf8* de Actinoplanes teichomyceticus, Teicoplanina) foram clonados em pET28a e pET20a. Um gene sintético foi obtido para enzima ComH (biossíntese de complestatina) e clonado em pET28a. A expressão desses genes foi induzida por IPTG e a purificação se deu em colunas de afinidade e gel filtração. Foram realizados estudos biofísicos (CD e DLS da StaI), bem como modelagem molecular e ensaios de complementação para proteínas StaK e StaI. Três halogenases foram purificadas, StaI, StaK e ComH e apresentaram coloração amarela indicando a co-purificação com FAD. Orf8* apresentou-se somente na fração insolúvel. Análises de CD indicam a presença de -hélices e folhas-β e foi possível observar o estado de oligomerização e polidispersividade em diferentes condições para halogenase StaI. Os modelos moleculares deram insights sobre uma possível diferença de padrão de halogenação catalizada pela StaI e StaK, devido à diferença de resíduos hidrofóbicos que formam os sulcos do sítio ativo. Tentativas de ensaios de cristalização para as enzimas StaI, StaK e ComH foram realizadas. No entanto, apenas a... / Abstract: Various experiments have shown that natural compounds may have their biologic activity altered by presence or absence of halogens. Glycopeptide antibiotics, such as vancomycin and teicoplanin are halogenated natural products and they have substantial importance in the medicine. Halogenases, are enzymes that catalyses the attachment of halogens to a substrate, howerver they are not well understood mainly those ones in glycopeptide biosynthesis. Producing glycopeptides strains were obtained from NRRL collection, they were grown in liquid TSB medium and the DNA was extracted. Three different genes for halogenases [(staI and staK from Streptomyces toyocaensis (compound 47934) and Orf8* from Actinoplanes teichomyceticus (Teicoplanin)] were amplified and cloned into pET28a and pET20a. A synthetic gene for comH from the biosynthesis of complestatin was obtained and also cloned in the pET28a. The expression of these four genes was carried out with the induction by IPTG and the purification was performed by affinity and molecular exclusion. Samples of soluble and insoluble fractions and chromatographic peaks were analyzed on SDS-PAGE gel. Circular Dichroism (CD) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) studies were performed for StaI and ComH. We have also performed molecular modelling for StaI and StaK enzymes because attempts to crystallise all the soluble halogenases did not return any result (only StaI had a single crystal which showed not reproduzible). ComH, StaI and StaK were purified and they had an yellow colour indicating the co-purification with FAD.Orf8* was predominantly insoluble. SDS-PAGE gel showed that StaI had high purity already after the affinity purification and the molecular exclusion indicates that it had a tendency to aggregate. By the analysis of CD was possible to observe the structural integrity of StaI and ComH, which shows, as expected, the presence of -helixes and β-sheets. The DLS analysis shows the oligomerization ... / Mestre

Lasalocida é um aditivo nutricional que melhora o desempenho e a eficiência alimentar de bovinos de corte, atua sobre as bactérias ruminais, com maior efetividade sob as bactérias gram-positivas, e com pouca ou quase nenhuma ação sobre as bactérias gram-negativas, resultando em melhor aproveitamento do alimento consumido pelo animal. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o uso do lasalocida no crescimento de bovinos de corte em pastagem através de uma revisão sistemática-metanálise. Foram utilizadas três bases de dados eletrônicas (Scopus, Science Direct e ISI Web of Knowledge). Os critérios para inclusão foram estudos completos, conduzidos em bovinos de corte, com o uso da suplementação com lasalocida e que avaliassem medidas de desempenho animal (ganho médio diário de peso (GMD), escore de condição corporal (ECC) e circunferência escrotal (CE). A extração de dados das publicações foi realizada com o uso de um protocolo pré-definido. Foi conduzida uma metanálise para efeitos aleatórios para cada indicador separadamente com as médias dos grupos controle e tratado. Foram incluídos na análise quatro publicações, que relataram cinco estudos e 16 ensaios conduzidos em 284 bovinos. Não foram obtidos dados suficientes para realização da metanálise (MA) para ECC e CE. Os níveis de heterogeneidade entre estudos foram considerados de baixo a moderado, variando entre 0 e 50,2%. O fornecimento de lasalocida na suplementação energética mostrou tendência em alterar o GMD dos bovinos (DM= -0,288 kg/dia; P= 0,084; IC 95%: -0,615, 0,039; n= 10 ensaios). A comparação entre animais que receberam lasalocida nas concentrações 200 e 300 mg/cabeça/dia, em pastagem natural, mostrou que aqueles que receberam a maior concentração tiveram um menor GMD (DM= -0,474 kg/dia; IC 95%: -0,868, -0,080; P=0,018; n= 2 ensaios). Quando a comparação foi de 0 e 200 mg/cabeça/dia, bovinos com acesso ao ionóforo tiveram um desempenho inferior (DM= -0,599 kg/dia; IC 95%: -1,144, -0,053; p= 0,032; n= 3 ensaios). Por outro lado, quando o controle recebeu 0 mg/cabeça/dia e o tratado 100 mg/cabeça/dia de lasalocida na dieta, não foi encontrada diferença estatística. Assim, a suplementação de bovinos de corte com lasalocida em pastagem não apresentou efeitos sobre o ganho médio diário dos bovinos mantidos em pastagens. / Lasalocid is a nutritional additive that improves the performance and feed efficiency of beef cattle, acts on ruminal bacterium, is more effective under gram-positive bacterium, and with little or no action on gram-negative bacterium, resulting in better use of the food consumed by the animal.The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of lasalocid in the growth of beef cattle on pasture through a systematic review meta-analysis.We searched on three electronic databases (Scopus, Science Direct, and ISI Web of Knowledge), as well as we checked references of relevant review papers.Inclusion criteria were complete studies using beef cattle on pasture receiving lasalocid supplementation that evaluate animal performance (average dalily gain (ADG), body composition score (BCS), and scrotal circumference (SC). Data were extracted using pre-defined protocols. Random effect meta-analyses were conducted for each indicator separately with the mean of control and treated group We included in the analysis four publications, reporting 5 studies, 16 trials in 284 bovines. There are no data available to analyse BCS and SC using MA procedure.The levels of heterogeneity between studies were considered low to moderate, varying between 0 and 50.2%.Thelasalocid additionin energy supplementation showed a tendency to change GMD (DM = -0.288 kg/day; P= 0.084; 95% CI: -0.615, 0.039; n= 10 trials). Comparison between animals receiving lasalocid at 200 and 300 mg/head/day in natural pasture showed that the highest concentration had lower ADG (DM= -0.474 kg/day; 95% CI: -0.868, -0.080; P= 0.018; n = 2 trials). When the comparison was between 0 and 200 mg/head/day, cattle that received the ionophore showed lower performance (DM= -0.599 kg/day; 95% CI: -1.144, -0.053, p = 0.032; n= 3trials). Alternatively, when the control group did not receivedlasalocid and the treatment received 100mg/head/day in the diet, no statistical difference was found.Our study demonstrate that the supplementation with lasalocid to beef cattle in pasture did not change the average daily gain.

A bacia do rio Tietê, é a maior região hidrográfica do Estado de São Paulo e possui biodiversidade pouco explorada. Actinomicetos são produtores de moléculas bioativas e são descritas em ambientes aquáticos. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar e identificar actinomicetos isolados da água e sedimento da bacia do rio Tietê. Nove actinomicetos foram isoladas: 6 do gênero Streptomyces e 3 do gênero Micromonospora. Três dos isolados pertencem a novas espécies. Os demais isolados foram identificados como S. bingchenggensis, S. lavendulae, S. humi e S. gancidicus; M. sediminicula e M. tulbaghiae. Todos as linhagens foram capazes de hidrolisar ao menos um dos substratos lignocelulósicos testados. Todos os isolados do gênero Streptomyces apresentaram atividade antifúngica. Com exceção de 2 isolados, todos os isolados apresentaram atividade antibacteriana, inclusive contra bactérias multiresistentes a antibióticos. Os genomas dos isolados foram anotados por RAST e antiSMASH, e apresentaram clusters de PKS do tipo I, II e III, sideróforos, terpenos, NRPS, ectoínas, fenazinas, lantipeptídeos, butirolactonas e bacteriocinas. Todos os isolados deste estudo apresentaram grande potencial biotecnológico, comprovado in silico e in vitro. / The Tietê river basin is the largest hydrographic region of São Paulo and its biodiversity is underexplored. Actinomycetes are known to bioactive molecules, and are described in aquatic environments. The aim of this study was to characterize and identify actinomycetes isolated from water and sediment from the Tietê river basin. Nine strains of actinomycetes were isolated: 6 Streptomyces strains and 3 Micromonospora strains. Three isolates are new species of actinomycetes. The remaining isolates were identified as S. bingchenggensis, S. lavendulae, S. humi and S. gancidicus; M. sediminicula and M. tulbaghiae. All strains could hydrolyse at least one of the lignocellulosic substrates tested. All Streptomyces showed antifungal activity. Except for two strains, all isolates showed antibacterial activity, including against multiresistant bacteria. The genomes of all isolates were annotated by RAST and antiSMASH and showed clusters of: type I, II and III PKS, siderophores, terpenes, NRPS, ectoins, phenazines, lantipeptides, butyrolactones and bacteriocins. All isolates in this study showed a high biotechnological potential, proved by in silico and in vitro methods.

Cell biomass and chemicals (e.g. bioactive compounds) can be produced by fermentation. Optimising a fermentation system involves optimizing many variables such as determining the effect of inoculum quality and media components, and selecting the most appropriate fermenter design and operating conditions (such as agitation aeration and fermentation mode). Identifying the optimal media is very important because it can significantly affect product concentration, yield and productivity. However, the media contains many components so many trials need to be done, which makes the process laborious, expensive, open-ended, and often time-consuming. The data generated from the many trials can be difficult to analyse. This study developed a rapid, inexpensive small-scale technique to identify how media components affected the growth of Streptomyces hygroscopicus and its production of a secondary metabolite, the anti-tumour agent rapamycin. A method was developed using microtitre plates to screen the effect of three concentrations of nine media components on cell growth and rapamycin production using the Box-Behnken experimental design. Firstly, the methodology for microtitre plates was developed, which involved characterizing the physical parameters of a fermentation system, identifying the incubation time to minimize evaporation, modifying the assay method to deal with the small sample volumes, and developing an alternative method to determinate the rapamycin concentration that was cheaper than the HPLC method. Data from shake flasks trials (the normal screening method) were used to validate the microtitre method and to assess the latter's usefulness in predicting scale-up effects. Six media components - sodium chloride (NaCl), di-potassium orthophosphate (K2HPO4), l-aspartic acid, l-arginine, l-histidine and salt (formula 1) solution - significantly affected culture growth and/or rapamycin concentration. The regression tree method was used to indicate the importance and critical concentration range of each factor. The Pearson's product-moment value indicated a good correlation between data from microtitre plates and shake flasks (cell growth: r=0.75 p=0.016 n=8; rapamycin concentration r=0.92 p=0.08 n=6). The speed of the microtitre plate and shake methods were compared by assessing the total cycle time and the time required for various stages in the method. Performance of each method was assessed as cost of media and equipment. Using microtitre plates to screen and optimise media in terms of biomass and secondary metabolite production is faster and cheaper than using shake flasks. Labour efficiency for the numerous, repetitive, small-scale experiments was substantially increased. Trials could be run without well-to-well cross contamination. The regression tree statistics methodology successfully showed the effect of input variables on target variables and identified effective medium component concentrations and any interactions. It is recommended that the microtitre plate procedure developed in this research may be applied to any study investigating the optimum media composition for growing other Streptomyces spp. strains, in screening studies when searching for new bioactive molecules, or for characterizing natural or recombinant/mutated micro-organisms.

Wheat is the most economically important crop forming one quarter of Australian farm production. The wheat industry is severely affected by diseases, with fungal pathogens causing the most important economic losses in Australia. The application of fungicides and chemicals can control crop diseases to a certain extent, however, it is expensive and public concern for the environment has led to alternative methods of disease control to be sought, including the use of microorganisms as biological control agents. Microorganisms are abundant in the soil adjacent to plant roots (rhizosphere) and within healthy plant tissue (endophytic) and a proportion possess plant growth promotion and disease resistance properties. Actinobacteria are gram-positive, filamentous bacteria capable of secondary metabolite production such as antibiotics and antifungal compounds. A number of the biologically active endophytes belonging to the Actinobacteria phylum were isolated in our laboratory. A number of these isolates were capable of suppressing the wheat fungal pathogens Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium sp. and Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici, both in vitro and in planta indicating the potential for the actinobacteria to be used as biocontrol agents. The aim of this research was to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying this plant-microbe interaction. The indigenous microbial populations present in the rhizosphere and endophytic environment are critical to plant health and disruptions of these populations are detrimental. The culture-independent technique Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP) was used to characterise the endophytic actinobacteria population of wheat roots under different conditions. Soils which support a higher number of indigenous microorganisms result in wheat roots with higher endophytic actinobacterial diversity and level of colonisation. Sequencing of 16S rRNA gene clones, obtained using the same actinobacteria-biased PCR primers that were used in the T-RFLP analysis, confirmed the presence of the actinobacterial diversity, and identified a number of Mycobacterium and Streptomyces species. It was found that the endophytic actinobacterial population of the wheat plants contained a higher diversity of endophytic actinobacteria than reported previously, and that this diversity varied significantly among different field soils. The endophytic actinobacteria have previously been shown to protect wheat from disease and enhance growth when coated onto the seed before sowing. As the endophytes isolated were recognised as potential biocontrol agents, the impact on the indigenous endophytic microbial population was investigated. Utilising the T-RFLP technique it was established that the use of a commercial microbial inoculant, containing a large number of soil bacterial and fungal strains applied to the soil, disrupts the indigenous endophyte population present in the wheat roots. The hypothesis is that non-indigenous microbes proliferate and dominate in the soil preventing a number of endophytic-competent actinobacterial genera from access to the seed and ultimately endophytic colonisation of the wheat roots. This dramatically reduces diversity of endophytes and level of colonisation. In contrast the use of a single endophytic actinobacteria endophyte inoculant results in a 3-fold increase in colonisation by the added inoculant, but does not significantly affect this indigenous population. Colonisation of healthy plant tissues with fungal endophytes has been shown to improve the competitive fitness with enhanced tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress and improved resistance to pathogens and herbivores. In this study the fungal endophyte population of wheat plants grown in four different soils was analysed using partial sequencing of 18S rRNA gene sequences. Sequence anlaysis of clones revealed a diverse range of fungal endophytes. In this diverse range of fungal endophytes a number sequences were highly similar to those of previously known fungal phytopathogens. A number of sequences detected were similar to fungal species previously identified in soil or plant material but not as endophytes. The remaining sequences were similar to fungal species without a known relationship with plants. Plants have developed an inducible mechanism of defence against pathogens. In addition to local responses plants have developed a mechanism to protect uninfected tissue through a signal that spreads systemically inducing changes in gene expression. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana activation of the Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) pathway and the Jasmonate (JA)/Ethylene (ET) pathway is characterised by the production of pathogenesis-related (PR) and antimicrobial proteins resulting in systemic pathogen resistance. Endophytic actinobacteria, isolated from healthy wheat roots in our laboratory, have been shown to enhance disease resistance to multiple pathogens in wheat when coated onto the seed before sowing. Real Time RT-PCR was used to determine if key genes in the SAR and JA/ET pathways were induced in response to inoculation with endophytic actinobacteria. Inoculation of wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana with selected strains of endophytic actinobacteria was able to �prime� the defence pathways by inducing low level expression of SAR and JA/ET genes. Upon pathogen infection the defence-genes are strongly up-regulated and the endophyte coated plants had significantly higher expression of these genes compared to un-inoculated plants. Resistance to the bacterial pathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora was mediated by the JA/ET pathway whereas the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum triggered primarily the SAR pathway. Further analysis of the endophytic actinobacteria-mediated resistance was performed using the Streptomyces sp. EN27 and Arabidopsis defence-compromised mutants. It was found that resistance to E. carotovora subsp. carotovora mediated by Streptomyces sp. EN27 occurred via a NPR1-independent pathway and required salicylic acid whereas the jasmonic acid and ethylene signalling molecules were not essential. In contrast resistance to F. oxysporum mediated by Streptomyces sp. EN27 occurred via a NPR1-dependent pathway but also required salicylic acid and was JA- and ET-independent. This research demonstrated that inoculating wheat with endophytic actinobacteria does not disrupt the indigenous endophytic population and may be inducing systemic resistance by activating defence pathways which lead to the expression of antimicrobial genes and resistance to a broad range of pathogens.