Metagenômica

Achievements and new knowledge unraveled by metagenomic approaches

Carola Simon1 and Rolf Daniel
Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2009 November; 85(2): 265–276.

Metagenomics has paved the way for cultivation-independent assessment and exploitation of microbial communities present in complex ecosystems. In recent years, significant progress has been made in this research area. A major breakthrough was the improvement and development of high-throughput next-generation sequencing technologies. The application of these technologies resulted in the generation of large datasets derived from various environments such as soil and ocean water. The analyses of these datasets opened a window into the enormous phylogenetic and metabolic diversity of microbial communities living in a variety of ecosystems. In this way, structure, functions, and interactions of microbial communities were elucidated. Metagenomics has proven to be a powerful tool for the recovery of novel biomolecules. In most cases, functional metagenomics comprising construction and screening of complex metagenomic DNA libraries has been applied to isolate new enzymes and drugs of industrial importance. For this purpose, several novel and improved screening strategies that allow efficient screening of large collections of clones harboring metagenomes have been introduced.

link:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2773367/pdf/253_2009_Article_2233.pdf

II WORKSHOP - Biotecnologia de Células Animais

O Workshop de Biotecnologia de Células Animais iniciou-se em 2009 com o intuito de expandir e/ou promover o conhecimento sobre a metodologia de se cultivar células animais para fins biotecnológicos, compreendendo desde estudos de desenvolvimento e caracterização celular ao desenvolvimento de biofármacos em potencial através de biorreatores.

O evento é organizado e realizado pelo Centro de Estudos de Insetos Sociais (CEIS) em colaboração com o Programa de Pós-Graduação de Biologia Celular e Molecular do campus da Unesp de Rio Claro. Visa promover a integração entre estudantes, professores e profissionais da área, contando também com a participação de empresas do ramo que possam contribuir com técnicas inovadoras. O evento busca incentivar a discussão de temas relacionados com o cultivo de células animais de forma multidisciplinar, assim como contribuir com a formação dos estudantes, proporcionando, inclusive, oportunidades para futuros direcionamentos profissionais.

Link: http://www.workshopbiotecnologia.xpg.com.br/

Biorremediação

Industrial dye degradation and detoxification by basidiomycetes belonging to different eco-physiological groups

Anastasi A, Prigione V, Varese GC.

J Hazard Mater. 2010 May 15;177(1-3):260-7. Epub 2009 Dec 16.

Abstract


Twenty-five basidiomycetes belonging to 17 species and ascribable to different eco-physiological groups were screened for their ability to decolorize 9 commercially important industrial dyes comprising a variety of anthraquinonic, azoic and phtalocyanin chromophores. The influence of the culture medium, particularly its C:N ratio, on decolourisation capacity was considered on solid substrate. Three strains of Bjerkandera adusta performed the highest decolourisation yields being able to degrade all dyes on all media and to produce a wide spectrum of oxidative enzyme activities. Hence, B. adusta strains were selected for further experiments in liquid cultures together with other 6 fungi that resulted effective in the decolourisation of the largest number of molecules in the broadest spectrum of cultural conditions. Particularly B. adusta MUT 3060 was found very effective (decolourisation percentage over 90%) in the treatment of simulated effluents composed of single and mixed dyes at high concentration (1000 mg/l). Peroxidase activity dependent (up to 362 U/l) and independent from manganese (up to 57 U/l) were detected during the decolourisation process. The Lemna minor toxicity test showed a significant reduction of toxicity after the fungal treatment indicating that decolourisation corresponded to an actual detoxification of the wastewater. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

link: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TGF-4XY4K4B-1&_user=685742&_coverDate=05%2F15%2F2010&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000036939&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=685742&md5=94e6b5ac1f49505e24c2b07e6153f535

ARTIGO DA SEMANA

Genome sequence of the model mushroom Schizophyllum commune


Robin A Ohm et al
Nature Biotechnology


Much remains to be learned about the biology of mushroom-forming fungi, which are an important source of food, secondary metabolites and industrial enzymes. The wood-degrading fungus Schizophyllum commune is both a genetically tractable model for studying mushroom development and a likely source of enzymes capable of efficient degradation of lignocellulosic biomass. Comparative analyses of its 38.5-megabase genome, which encodes 13,210 predicted genes, reveal the species's unique wood-degrading machinery. One-third of the 471 genes predicted to encode transcription factors are differentially expressed during sexual development of S. commune. Whereas inactivation of one of these, fst4, prevented mushroom formation, inactivation of another, fst3, resulted in more, albeit smaller, mushrooms than in the wild-type fungus. Antisense transcripts may also have a role in the formation of fruiting bodies. Better insight into the mechanisms underlying mushroom formation should affect commercial production of mushrooms and their industrial use for producing enzymes and pharmaceuticals.

link: http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nbt.1643.html