Diabetes mellitus is a growing threat to human health. Current pharmacological agents cause undesirable side-effects. Herbal remedies offer the potential for alternative treatment strategies that may prove more cost-effective and devoid of the undesirable side-effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro anti-diabetic activity of aqueous and methanol extracts of Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Hochst. (Anacardiaceae) and Ziziphus mucronata Willd. (Rhamnaceae), which are traditionally used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in southern Africa. Polyphenolic contents of extracts were quantified using the aluminium trichloride and Folin-Ciocalteau methods. The capacity of individual extracts to scavenge both the 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals was used as a measure of antioxidant activity. The inhibitory activities of the crude extracts of both plants on the enzymes, α-amylase and α-glucosidase, were determined using colorimetric assays. The effects of the crude extracts on cell viability was assessed in C2C12 myotubes, HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells, 3T3-L1 adipocytes and RIN-m5F pancreatic β-islet cells, using the Sulforhodamine B assay. Fluorescence detection was used to investigate the effects of the crude extracts on glucose uptake in C2C12, HepG2 and 3T3-L1 cells. Insulin secretion was assessed in RIN-m5F cells, using ELISA. Crude extracts of both plants contained flavonoids and phenols, but flavonoid content was predominantly higher. All the extracts displayed antioxidant activity, with the methanol extract of S. birrea possessing the most potent free radical scavenging ability (IC50 = 2.16 μg/ml). Aqueous and methanol extracts of S. birrea displayed significantly (p < 0.05) greater inhibition of α-amylase, than the positive control, acarbose. Only the methanol extract of Z. mucronata inhibited α-amylase activity. Furthermore, crude extracts of both plants also displayed potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Most of the crude extracts had low toxicity, where concentrations of 100 μg/ml of crude extract of the plants did not induce 50% cell death. iv Although no significant increase in insulin secretion from cultured RIN-m5F cells was noted, the crude extracts of both plants significantly (p < 0.05) increased glucose uptake in C2C12, HepG2 and 3T3-L1 cells, with efficacy significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the positive control, insulin. From the results, the plant extracts appear to exert their hypoglycaemic effects independently of insulin, via an extra-pancreatic mechanism, possibly involving interactions with the different receptors. An additive hypoglycaemic effect originates from the inhibition of both α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The findings of the present study provide evidence that S. birrea and Z. mucronata possess in vitro anti-diabetic activity. Further investigations are required to elucidate the mechanism(s) of action of the crude extracts using more targeted in vitro assays. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Pharmacology / unrestricted

Foram purificadas através de uma combinação de cromatografias as duas &#946;- glicosidases digestivas (Mr 47.000 e 50.000 - denominadas &#946;47 e &#946;50, respectivamente) encontradas na larva de S. frugiperda. Experimentos de competição entre substratos e modificação química mostraram que a &#946;47 possui dois sítios ativos. Um desses sítios denominado aril&$946;glicosidase apresenta um subsítio -1 que liga galactose mais eficientemente do enquanto ,que o subsítio +1 prefere pequenos grupos hidrofóbicos cíclicos. O segundo sítio, denominado celobiase, possui um subsítio -1 que prefere glicose. Já a região de ligação do aglicone apresenta 4 subsítios, que ligam glicose com afinidade decrescente à medida que afastam-se do ponto de clivagem do substrato. O cDNA que codifica a &#946;50 foi clonado e sequenciado. Alinhamentos de sequência de aminoácidos, experimentos de competição entre substratos e inibição mostraram que esta enzima possui apenas um sítio ativo. O subsítio -1, cuja especificidade é controlada por uma rede de pontes de hidrogênio, foi estudado comparando-se os parâmetros cinéticos (Kcat e KcaUKm) para a hidrólise de NP&#946;glicosídeos. A região de posicionamento do aglicone, uma fenda hidrofóbica composta de 3 subsítios, foi caracterizada utilizando-se alquil &#946;-glucosídeos e oligocelodextrinas como inibidores. O alinhamento da sequência de aminoácidos da &#946;50 com outras glicosil hidrolases sugeriu quais aminoácidos participariam da ligação do substrato e que o GlU187 (doador de prótons - pKa = 7,5) e o GIU399 (nucleófilo - pKa = 4,5) estão diretamente envolvidos na catálise. Além disso, a Arg97 e a Tyr331 participam indiretamente modulando o pKa do GIU399. r . / Two digestive &#946;-glycosidases (MW 47,000 and 50,000, named &#946;gly47 and &#946;gly50, respectively) whose are found in the S. frugiperda larvae were purified by a combination of chromatographic steps. Substrate competition experiments and chemical modification data showed that &#946;gly47 has two active sites. One of them was called aryl &#946;-glycosidase and presents a -1 subsite that prefers galactose while the +1 subsite binds small cyclic hydrophobic groups. The other active site was called cellobiase and presents 4 subsites that bind glucose residues weaker as they get far from the cleavage point. The cDNA that codes the &#946;gly50 was cloned and sequenced. Amino acid sequence alignment, substrate competition experiments and inhibitions proved that this enzyme has just one active site. The -1 subsite specificity is controlled by a hydrogen bond network as it was showed comparing the kinetic parameters (Kcat and KcatlKm) for some NP&#946;glycosides hydrolysis. The aglycone binding region, a hydrophobic cleft, was studied with alkyl &#946;-glucosides and oligocellodextrins as competitive inhibitors. Amino acid sequence alignment between the &#946;gly50 and other glycosil hydrolases showed the amino acids responsible for the substrate binding and that the GIU<SUB.187 (proton donor - pKa = 7.5) and GIU399 (nucleophile - pKa = 4.5) are directly involved in the catalysis. Beside this, Arg97 and Tyr331 participate indirectly in the catalysis, modulating the nucleophile pKa

Thesis (MSc. (Biochemistry)) --University of Limpopo, 2016 / The ever increasing cost of fossil-based fuels and the accompanying concerns about their impact on the environment is driving research towards clean and renewable sources of energy. Bioethanol has the potential to be a replacement for liquid transportation fuels. In addition to its near zero nett carbon dioxide emissions, bio-ethanol has a high energy to weight ratio and can easily be stored in high volumes. To produce bioethanol at economically competitive prices, the major cost in the production process needs to be addressed. The addition of enzymes to hydrolyse the lignocellulosic fraction of the agricultural waste to simple sugars is considered to be the major contributor to high production cost. A consolidated bioprocess (CBP) which ideally combines all the steps that are currently accomplished in different reactors by different microorganisms into a single process step would be a more economically feasible solution. In this study the potential of yeast hybridization with a CBP approach was used. In order to evaluate the reduction or elimination of the addition of cellulolytic and hemi-cellulolytic enzymes to the ethanol production process. High cellobiohydrolase I secreting progeny from hybridization of an industrial bioethanol yeast strain, S. cerevisiae M0341, and a laboratory strain S. cerevisiae Y294 were isolated. In order to determine if this characteristic was specific to cellobiohydrolase I secretion, these strains were evaluated for their ability to secrete other relevant recombinant hydrolase enzymes for CBP-based ethanol production. A total of seven S. cerevisiae strains were chosen from a progeny pool of 28 supersecreting hybrids and reconstructed to create two parental strains; S. cerevisiae M0341 and S. cerevisiae Y294, together with their hybrid segregants strains H3M1, H3M28, H3H29, H3K27 and H3O23. Three episomal plasmids namely pNS201, pNS202 and pNS203 were constructed; these plasmids together with two already available plasmids, namely pRDH166 and pRDH182 contained genes for different reporter enzymes, namely β-glucosidase I, xylanase II, endoglucanase lll, cellobiohydrolase l and α-glucuronidase. To allow for selection of the episomal plasmids, homologous recombination was used to replace the functional URA3 gene of selected strains, with the non-functional ura3 allele from the Y294 strain. Enzyme activity was used as an indicator of the amount of enzyme secreted. Fermentation studies in a bioreactor were used to determine the metabolic burden imposed on the segregants expressing the cellobiohydrolase at high levels. In addition all segregants were tested for resistance to inhibitors commonly found in pre-treated lignocellulosic material. The M28_Cel7A was found to be the best secretor of Cel7A (Cellobiohydrolase l); however it seems as though this phenomenon imposes a significant metabolic burden on the yeast. The supersecreting hybrid strains cannot tolerate lignocellulosic inhibitors at concentrations commonly produced during pretreatment / The National Research Foundation - Renewable Energy Scholarship (NRF-RSES)

Masters of Science / Diabetes mellitus (DM) is well known as a group of systemic metabolic disorders with a considerable mortality rate around the world. Hyperglycemia is the main consequence of DM, which results from the shortage in insulin production or degradation of produced insulin. Other internal and external factors including obesity, oxidative stress, and sedentary lifestyle have been also suggested as the causes of DM. Among the well-known existing types of DM, type 1 and 2 are the most common. Treatment of type 1 necessitates insulin injection, while type II can be controlled by physical exercises, diet control in addition to different synthetic antidiabetic drugs. However, their effectiveness is restricted because of the high cost and unfriendly side effects. There is a significant need for producing alternative and more bioactive antidiabetic drugs from natural sources. Natural products are a well-known source for the discovery of new scaffold for drugs discovery, and South Africa is one of the most important megaflora with a high percentage of endemism. South Africa is home to about 245 species of Helichrysum species, which are generally rich sources of secondary metabolites, especially flavonoids, which give them a great value for global acceptability and wide application in the pharmaceutical fields as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antidiabetic agents. The phytochemical investigation of the methanolic extract of H. cymosum resulted in the isolation and identification of seven pure compounds (1-7). Structural characterization of these isolated compounds was conducted using 1D NMR, in comparison with reported spectroscopic data. The in vitro bio-evaluation of H. cymosum against alpha-glucosidase shown that 5 exhibited the highest alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 value of 13 μM, followed by 7 and 3 with IC50 values of 18.16 μM and 44.4 μM respectively. Additionally, strong total antioxidant capacities were displayed by 6 and 2 as ORAC (122.86 ± 0.7 and 91.70 ± 0.4 μM TE/mL) respectively as well as 5 and 7 as FRAP (1006.34 ± 1.7; 977.79 ± 0.8) μM AAE/g. This is the first scientific report to be carried out on alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activities and antioxidant capacities of H. cymosum constituents. The findings suggest that these compounds might become prominent natural candidates to inhibit alpha-glucosidase as well as oxidative stress related to diabetes with the prospect to be employed in the formulation of diabetes drugs upon further biological studies.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第19194号 / 農博第2133号 / 新制||農||1034(附属図書館) / 学位論文||H27||N4940(農学部図書室) / 32186 / 京都大学大学院農学研究科森林科学専攻 / (主査)教授 髙野 俊幸, 教授 西尾 嘉之, 教授 梅澤 俊明 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

No description available.

Research was conducted to investigate the effect of phenolic compounds derived from inherently rich antioxidant grape extracts (GE) on α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in vitro and in vivo blood glucose control, oxidative stress, and inflammation associated with obesity-induced type 2 diabetes. Because intestinal α-glucosidase plays a key role in the digestion and absorption of complex carbohydrates, the inhibition of this enzyme is a metabolic target for managing diabetes by improving post-prandial blood glucose control. Initially, red Norton wine grape (Vitis aestivalis) and pomace extracts were evaluated and determined to have notable phenolic content and antioxidant properties. Next, grape skin (GSE) and pomace extract (GPE) were tested and both had in vitro yeast and mammalian α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The GSE was 32-times more potent at inhibiting yeast α-glucosidase than acarbose, a commercial oral hypoglycemic agent. From HPLC and LC-MS analysis, three phenolics from the GSE (resveratrol, ellagic acid, and catechin) were identified as active inhibitory compounds. The acute administration of GPE (400 mg/kg bw) to mice reduced postprandial blood glucose level by 35% following an oral glucose tolerance test compared to the control. The daily supplementation (250 mg/kg bw) of GSE and GPE for 12-weeks to mice affected fasting blood glucose levels, oxidative stress, and inflammatory biomarkers associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. At the end of the study, the GSE group gained significantly (P < 0.05) more weight (24.6 g) than the control, high fat, or GPE groups (11.2, 20.2, 19.6 g, respectively). Both GSE and GPE groups had lower fasting blood glucose levels (119.3 and 134.2 mg/dL, respectively) compared to the high fat group (144.6 mg/dL). The 12-week supplementation of GSE was associated with a higher plasma oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), lower liver lipid peroxidation as measure by TBARS, and lower levels of inflammation as measured by plasma C-reactive protein compared to the high fat group. In conclusion, our collective observations from these studies provide insight into the potential effects of antioxidant rich grape extracts on diabetes-related biomarkers through a dual mechanism of antioxidant protection and specific inhibition of intestinal α-glucosidases. / Ph. D.

Fermentation and roasting of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) decrease levels of polyphenolic flavanol compounds. However, it is largely unknown how these changes in polyphenol levels caused by processing affect cocoa's anti-diabetic and anti-obesity bioactivities, such as inhibition of certain enzymes in the body. Polyphenol profiles, protein-binding abilities, presence of compounds termed oxidative polymers, and abilities to inhibit α-glucosidase, pancreatic α-amylase, lipase, and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP4) in vitro were compared between unfermented bean (UB), fermented bean (FB), unfermented liquor (UL), and fermented liquor (FL) cocoa extracts. Overall, there were significant decreases (p<0.05) in total polyphenols, flavanols, and anthocyanins between the two sets of unfermented and fermented cocoa extracts (CEs). All CEs effectively inhibited α-glucosidase (lowest IC50 = 90.0 ug/mL for UL) and moderately inhibited α-amylase (lowest IC50=183 ug/mL for FL), lipase (lowest IC25=65.5 ug/mL for FB), and DPP4 (lowest IC25=1585 ug/mL for FB) in dose-dependent manners. Fermentation and roasting of the samples affected inhibition of each enzyme differently (both processes enhanced α-amylase inhibition). Improved α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitions were correlated with presence of different classifications of oxidative polymers, suggesting that these compounds could be contributing to the bioactivities observed. Some α-glucosidase inhibition might be due to non-specific protein-binding. Improved DPP4 inhibition was strongly correlated to increased CE degree of polymerization. In conclusion, potential enzyme inhibition activities of cocoa were not necessarily negatively affected by the large polyphenol losses that occur during fermentation and roasting. Additionally, it is possible that more complex compounds could be present in cocoa that contribute to its potential anti-diabetic and anti-obesity bioactivities. / Master of Science in Life Sciences

Introdução: Polifenóis não-extraíveis (NEPPs) são uma fração de polifenóis que não são extraídos da forma convencional por estarem associados à parede celular de produtos de origem vegetal. Um corpo crescente de estudos tem evidenciado seus potenciais efeitos benéficos, especialmente associados à saúde intestinal e interações com a microbiota. O guaraná (Paullinia cupana), fruto típico da biota amazônica, é conhecidamente rico em polifenóis da família dos flavanóis, mas ainda existe uma lacuna a respeito da fração de polifenóis não-extraíveis em sua composição. Objetivo: Caracterizar a fração de polifenóis não-extraíveis quanto a sua composição química, e avaliar sua potencial capacidade de inibição enzimática. Métodos: O guaraná em pó foi submetido a extração aquo-orgânica para obtenção da fração extraível, e o resíduo proveniente dessa extração foi submetido a hidrólise ácida e hidrólise básica para obtenção dos NEPPs. A capacidade redutora total (CRT) foi quantificada pelo método de Folin-Ciocalteu. A quantificação de taninos condensados foi realizada pelo método de Porter. A determinação do perfil de fenólicos foi realizada por HPLC-ECD e LC-MS para as frações extraíveis e hidrolisáveis, e MALDi-TOF/TOF para a fração condensada. Os testes enzimáticos foram realizados com base na cinética de estado estacionário. Os testes estatísticos foram realizados utilizando softwares Excel e SPSS. Resultados: O perfil de fenólicos para a fração extraível consiste na presença de catequina e epicatequina como componentes majoritários, com 5,45 ± 0,15 e 5,95 ± 0,22 mg/g de guaraná em pó (base seca), respectivamente, além de proantocianidinas B1 e B2 e trímero de tipo A. Já o perfil fenólico da fração não-extraível contém uma mistura complexa de monômeros como catequina, leucoantocianidina, cianidina e delfinidina. A fração NEPP também contém dímeros, trímeros, tetrâmeros e pentâmeros de flavanóis, tanto de tipo A quanto de tipo B, com alta variabilidade de grau de hidroxilação. O ensaio enzimático com &alpha;-glicosidase resultou em valores de IC50 de 9,504 e 1,624 &micro;g EAG/mL para a fração extraível e a não-extraível, respectivamente. O modo de inibição para ambas as frações foi classificado como misto, com valores de Ki e K\'i de 0,403 e 1,735 &micro;g/mL para a fração extraível e 0,287 e 0,847 &micro;g/mL para a fração não-extraível. Conclusões: A fração de polifenóis não-extraíveis possui composição variada e complexa quando comparada a fração extraível, e possui potencial de inibição de &alpha;-glicosidase que deve ser explorado de maneira mais aprofundada, uma vez que tal potencial é de interesse para o controle de doenças crônicas como o diabetes tipo 2. / Introduction: Non-extractable polyphenols (NEPPs) are a portion of polyphenols that cannot be extracted in the conventional way due to being associated with the cell wall of products of plant origin. A growing number of studies have been showing its potential beneficial effects, especially in relation to gut health and microbiota interactions. The guarana (Paullinia cupana), a fruit native of the Amazon rainforest, is known to be rich in polyphenols from the flavanol family, but there is still a gap about non-extractable polyphenols in its composition. Objective: Characterize the non-extractable polyphenol portion in relation to its chemical composition and evaluate its enzymatic inhibition capacity. Methods: The extractable fraction was obtained by aqueous-organic extraction, and the residue from this extraction was treated with acid and alkaline hydrolysis to obtain the NEPPs. The total reducing capacity (TRC) was quantified by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The quantification of condensed tannins was performed with the Porter method. The phenolic profile was determined by HPLC-ECD and LC-MS for the extractable and hydrolysable fractions, and MALDi-TOF/TOF for the condensed fraction. The enzymatic assay was carried out using steady-state kinetics. The statistical tests were performed using Excel and SPSS. Results: The phenolic profile of the extractable fraction consists of catechin and epicatechin as major components with 5,45 ± 0,15 and 5,95 ± 0,22 mg/g guarana powder (dry weight), respectively, besides B1 and B2 proanthocyanidins and type A trimer. The phenolic profile of the non-extractable fraction contains a complex mixture of monomers like catechin, leucoanthocyanidin, cyanidin, and delphinidin. The NEPP fraction also contains type A and type B dimers, trimers, tetramers, and pentamers of flavanols, with high variability of the degree of hydroxylation. The &alpha;-glucosidase enzymatic assay had IC50 values of 9,504 and 1,624 Introduction: Non-extractable polyphenols (NEPPs) are a portion of polyphenols that cannot be extracted in the conventional way due to being associated with the cell wall of products of plant origin. A growing number of studies have been showing its potential beneficial effects, especially in relation to gut health and microbiota interactions. The guarana (Paullinia cupana), a fruit native of the Amazon rainforest, is known to be rich in polyphenols from the flavanol family, but there is still a gap about non-extractable polyphenols in its composition. Objective: Characterize the non-extractable polyphenol portion in relation to its chemical composition and evaluate its enzymatic inhibition capacity. Methods: The extractable fraction was obtained by aqueous-organic extraction, and the residue from this extraction was treated with acid and alkaline hydrolysis to obtain the NEPPs. The total reducing capacity (TRC) was quantified by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The quantification of condensed tannins was performed with the Porter method. The phenolic profile was determined by HPLC-ECD and LC-MS for the extractable and hydrolysable fractions, and MALDi-TOF/TOF for the condensed fraction. The enzymatic assay was carried out using steady-state kinetics. The statistical tests were performed using Excel and SPSS. Results: The phenolic profile of the extractable fraction consists of catechin and epicatechin as major components with 5,45 ± 0,15 and 5,95 ± 0,22 mg/g guarana powder (dry weight), respectively, besides B1 and B2 proanthocyanidins and type A trimer. The phenolic profile of the non-extractable fraction contains a complex mixture of monomers like catechin, leucoanthocyanidin, cyanidin, and delphinidin. The NEPP fraction also contains type A and type B dimers, trimers, tetramers, and pentamers of flavanols, with high variability of the degree of hydroxylation. The &alpha;-glucosidase enzymatic assay had IC50 values of 9,504 and 1,624 Introduction: Non-extractable polyphenols (NEPPs) are a portion of polyphenols that cannot be extracted in the conventional way due to being associated with the cell wall of products of plant origin. A growing number of studies have been showing its potential beneficial effects, especially in relation to gut health and microbiota interactions. The guarana (Paullinia cupana), a fruit native of the Amazon rainforest, is known to be rich in polyphenols from the flavanol family, but there is still a gap about non-extractable polyphenols in its composition. Objective: Characterize the non-extractable polyphenol portion in relation to its chemical composition and evaluate its enzymatic inhibition capacity. Methods: The extractable fraction was obtained by aqueous-organic extraction, and the residue from this extraction was treated with acid and alkaline hydrolysis to obtain the NEPPs. The total reducing capacity (TRC) was quantified by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The quantification of condensed tannins was performed with the Porter method. The phenolic profile was determined by HPLC-ECD and LC-MS for the extractable and hydrolysable fractions, and MALDi-TOF/TOF for the condensed fraction. The enzymatic assay was carried out using steady-state kinetics. The statistical tests were performed using Excel and SPSS. Results: The phenolic profile of the extractable fraction consists of catechin and epicatechin as major components with 5,45 ± 0,15 and 5,95 ± 0,22 mg/g guarana powder (dry weight), respectively, besides B1 and B2 proanthocyanidins and type A trimer. The phenolic profile of the non-extractable fraction contains a complex mixture of monomers like catechin, leucoanthocyanidin, cyanidin, and delphinidin. The NEPP fraction also contains type A and type B dimers, trimers, tetramers, and pentamers of flavanols, with high variability of the degree of hydroxylation. The &alpha;-glucosidase enzymatic assay had IC50 values of 9,504 and 1,624 &micro;g GAE/mL for the extractable and non-extractable fraction, respectively. The mode of inhibition was classified as mixed for both fractions, with Ki and K\'i values of 0,403 and 1,735 &micro;g/mL for the extractable fraction and 0,287 and 0,847 &micro;g/mL for the non-extractable fraction. Conclusions: The non-extractable polyphenols fraction has a varied and complex composition when compared to the extractable fraction, and it has a &alpha;-glucosidase inhibition potential that must be explored in a more detailed fashion since said potential is of interest for the control of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. g GAE/mL for the extractable and non-extractable fraction, respectively. The mode of inhibition was classified as mixed for both fractions, with Ki and K\'i values of 0,403 and 1,735 &micro;g/mL for the extractable fraction and 0,287 and 0,847 &micro;g/mL for the non-extractable fraction. Conclusions: The non-extractable polyphenols fraction has a varied and complex composition when compared to the extractable fraction, and it has a &alpha;-glucosidase inhibition potential that must be explored in a more detailed fashion since said potential is of interest for the control of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. g GAE/mL for the extractable and non-extractable fraction, respectively. The mode of inhibition was classified as mixed for both fractions, with Ki and K\'i values of 0,403 and 1,735 &micro;g/mL for the extractable fraction and 0,287 and 0,847 &micro;g/mL for the non-extractable fraction. Conclusions: The non-extractable polyphenols fraction has a varied and complex composition when compared to the extractable fraction, and it has a &alpha;-glucosidase inhibition potential that must be explored in a more detailed fashion since said potential is of interest for the control of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

A busca por novas tecnologias que visam à produção de biocombustíveis renováveis, especialmente bioetanol e outros biomateriais, tem se intensificado nos últimos anos. Há um interesse mundial crescente na limitação dos impactos ambientais e mudanças climáticas através da substituição de produtos petroquímicos por análogos ambientalmente corretos, a fim de alcançar uma economia mais sustentável. Além disso, as plataformas biorrefinarias lignocelulósicas necessárias para a produção de bioetanol representam uma oportunidade de estimular novos mercados para o setor agrícola e aumentar os empregos locais, contribuindo para o desenvolvimento das economias emergentes. No entanto, a maioria dos processos de conversão são baseados no conhecimento empírico, exigindo estudos mais aprofundados sobre os fatores envolvidos na hidrólise enzimática da celulose, tais como características biomassas, a otimização da etapa de pré-tratamento, bem como das atividades das enzimas e seus mecanismos de ação. Assim, com o objetivo de contribuir para a viabilização e implantação das tecnologias de produção do etanol lignocelulósico, na primeira parte deste trabalho de doutorado, foi realizada a purificação da &beta;-glicosidase do fungo Aspergillus Níger (NaBgl1), principal enzima do coquetel comercial Novozymes 188, e sua caracterização bioquímica e biofísica. As análises de espalhamento de raios-x a baixo ângulo revelaram uma organização multidomínios desta enzima, com uma estrutura molecular de girino semelhante ao encontrado para as celulases. A sua estrutura é composta por um domínio catalítico N-terminal e um domínio fibronectina de tipo III (FnIII) na região C-terminal, conectados entre si por um longo linker com uma inserção de 100 resíduos de aminoácidos numa conformação estendida. Apesar desta estrutura molecular incomum, os ensaios de eletroforese capilar revelaram um perfil processividade característico de &beta;-glucosidases, e os ensaios enzimáticos confirmaram, também, a ausência de atividade em substratos poliméricos. Nos ensaios adosrção com diferentes compostos poliméricos, a enzima &beta;-glicosidase mostrou uma capacidade de adsorção elevada em lignina. Os mecanismos de ligação FnIII-lignina foram elucidados por simulações de dinâmica molecular, que confirmaram apresença de vários sítios de ligação à lignina no domínio FnIII da enzima. Como segunda parte da presente tese, diferentes biomassas, como bagaço de cana, resíduos de casca de eucalipto e gramíneas (Panicum maximum, Pennisetum purpureum e Brachiaria brizantha) foram submetidas a vários métodos de pré-tratamento (ácido diluído, alcalino, sulfito e água quente) em diferentes condições de tratamento e avaliadas quanto ao seu potencial para a produção de bioetanol. As biomassas in natura e pré-tratadas foram caracterizadas quanto à sua composição química por métodos cromatográficos, ressonância magnética nuclear e espectroscopia de infravermelho por transformada de Fourier; o índice de cristalinidade das amostras foi determinado por método químico e difração de raios-x; as análises morfológicas foram realizadas por microscopia eletrônica de varredura; e os resultados da caracterização foram correlacionados com os perfis de sacarificação enzimática encontrados para cada uma delas. / The search for new technologies aimed at the production of renewable biofuels, specially bioethanol, and other biomaterials has intensified in recent years. There is an increasing world-wide interest in the limitation of environmental impact and climate change by replacing petrochemical products with environment-friendly analogues in order to move towards a sustainable economy. In turn, the lignocellulosic biorefining platforms required for ethanol production present an opportunity to stimulate new markets for the agriculture sector and increase domestic employment, contributing to the development of emerging economies. However, most of conversion processes are based on empirical knowledge, demanding thorough studies about the factors involved on enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose, such as biomasses characteristics, optimization of pretreatment steps and enzymes activities and molecular action mechanisms. Aiming to contribute for the viability and establishment of lignocellulosic ethanol technologies, on the first part of the present thesis, we performed the purification of main Aspergillus niger &beta;-glucosidase (AnBgl1) from the commercial cocktail Novozymes 188 and its biochemical and biophysical characterization. The small angle x-ray scattering analysis revealed a multidomain organization, with a tadpole-like molecular shape similar to that found for cellulases. Its structure is composed by a N-terminal catalytic domain and a fibronectin type III-like (FnIII) C-terminal domain, connected by a long linker with a 100 aminoacids residues insertion in a extended conformation. In spite of this uncommon molecular structure, capilar zone electrophoresis assays revealed a processivity profile characteristic of &beta;-glucosidases and the enzymatic assays confirmed no-activity on polymeric substrates. On the pull-dowm assays with different polymeric compounds, the &beta;-glucosidase showed a high adsorption ability to lignin. The FnIII-lignin binding mechanisms were elucidated by molecular dynamics simulations, confirming the multiple binding sites to lignin in the enzyme FnIII domain. As a second part of the present thesis, different biomasses such as sugarcane bagasse, eucalyptus bark residues and grasses (Panicum maximum, Pennisetum purpureum and Brachiaria brizantha) were submitted to several pretreatment methods (diluted acid, alkaline, sulfite and hot water) at various conditions and evaluated about their potential to bioethanol production. The raw and pretreated biomasses were characterized about their chemical composition by chromatographic methods, nuclear magnetic ressonance and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy; the crystallinity index was determined by chemical method and x-ray diffraction; morphological features were analysed by scanning electron microscopy; and the characterization results were correlated to their enzymatic saccharification profiles.