ABSTRACT Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by protozoa of the Leishmania genus. It may manifest in visceral and tegumentary forms, and pentavalent antimonials are the first choice drugs used for the treatment. Frequently these drugs show low efficiency and high toxicity to mammalian host. The present study describes the chemical profile and the in vitro leishmanicidal effects of red propolis and Dalbergia ecastaphyllum extracts from Sergipe, Brazil, in Leishmania chagasi and Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes. The phenolic composition of the extracts was evaluated by direct infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) fingerprinting. The leishmanicidal effect was evaluated by the Resazurin colorimetric method. Similar composition profiles have been found for D. ecastaphyllum and propolis samples. The isoflavones formononetin, biochanin A, daidzein and pinocembrin were identified in both extracts. Propolis extract showed leishmanicidal activity in both L. chagasi and L. amazonensis, with IC50 values of 21.54 and 9.73 µg/mL, respectively. The D. ecastaphyllum extract presented activity only in L. amazonensis, with IC50 of 53.42 µg/mL. These results suggest that red propolis extract from Sergipe has the leguminosae D. ecastaphyllum as botanical origin, and that it presents potential leishmanicidal activity, which may be associated with the presence of the phenolic compounds found in its composition.

The aim of this study was to determine the activity of cytokinin dehydrogenase (CKX) and to measure other biochemical components in the primary leaves and radicles of castor seedlings (BRS Energia) in the initial phase of growth. The crude protein extract obtained after a 1-h extraction from the root tissues of seedlings showed no detectable CKX enzymatic activity when incubated with the substrate isopentenyl adenine for 1 h. However, after precipitation with ammonium sulfate at 70% saturation, the pellet showed CKX activity. The peroxidase enzyme activity was higher in the leaves than in the radicles. The total and reducing sugar content was 1.5 times higher in the leaves than in the radicles. The amino acid and protein contents were 6.4 and 9.2 times higher in the leaves than in the radicles, respectively.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar geneticamente sete estirpes de rizóbios nativos dos tabuleiros costeiros de Sergipe com alta eficiência de fixação biológica do N2 em associação com guandu (Cajanus cajan) e caupi (Vigna unguiculata). A amplificação do DNA pela técnica de PCR (polymerase chain reaction) com o oligonucleotídeo específico BOX indicou um grau elevado de diversidade genética, uma vez que todas as estirpes apresentaram perfis únicos de DNA. A análise por BOX-PCR revelou, ainda, que essa metodologia é eficiente para diferenciar estirpes, mas não para a diferenciação de espécies de rizóbio. Pela técnica do RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) da região do DNA que codifica o gene 16S rRNA e da região intergênica entre os genes 16S e 23S rRNA, com cinco enzimas de restrição, bem como pelo seqüenciamento parcial da região do 16S rRNA, foi possível classificar as estirpes nos gêneros Bradyrhizobium e Rhizobium. Houve coerência entre as análises envolvendo a região do 16S rRNA, mas o agrupamento com uma das estirpes diferiu pela análise do espaço intergênico. Os resultados obtidos com a estirpe R11 indicam variabilidade genética elevada em relação às espécies de rizóbios descritas, inclusive diferindo em diversas bases da região do 16S rRNA, e podem indicar uma nova espécie.

The objective of this work was to characterize genetically seven indigenous rhizobial strains from the coastal tableland of Sergipe, Brazil, with high efficiency of biological nitrogen fixation with the pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) crops. The DNA amplification with the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technique and the specific primer BOX indicated a high level of genetic diversity, with all isolates showing unique profiles of DNA. The BOX-PCR analysis also indicated that this method is efficient to characterize strains but not to define rhizobial species. The RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) analysis of the 16S rRNA region and of the intergenic region between the 16S and the 23S rRNA genes with five restriction enzymes, as well as the partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA region allowed the classification of the strains into the genera Bradyrhizobium and Rhizobium. There was an agreement between the results obtained by the analysis of the 16S rRNA region, but one strain differed when the intergenic space was considered. The results obtained with strain R11 showed a high level of genetic diversity when compared to the described rhizobial species, including differences in several bases of the 16S rRNA region, and might indicate a new species.

A inoculação de estirpes de rizóbios em sementes de feijão-de-porco (Canavalia ensiformis), caupi (Vigna unguiculata) e guandu (Cajanus cajan), recomendadas para outras regiões do País, não tem resultado em incrementos nas taxas de fixação biológica de N2 nem no crescimento dessas leguminosas em solos dos tabuleiros costeiros de Sergipe. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar a eficiência simbiótica de rizóbios nativos dos tabuleiros costeiros associados a essas leguminosas e a tolerância deles a estresses. Das 17 estirpes de rizóbios isoladas e analisadas em casa de vegetação, quatro foram selecionadas para o guandu, sete para o caupi e três para o feijão-de-porco. O número e a massa de nódulos secos por planta correlacionaram-se com a massa da parte aérea seca, a área foliar e o N total acumulado nas folhas das três leguminosas. Os mesmos rizóbios foram eficientes para o caupi e para o guandu. Três estirpes do guandu (R35, R43 e R45) e duas do caupi (R10 e R17) foram caracterizadas in vitro e todas apresentaram tolerância às concentrações elevadas de ácido nalidíxico, cloranfenicol e tetraciclina, porém, foram sensíveis à estreptomicina e à kanamicina. Todas as estirpes cresceram a 35ºC e, exceto a R17, toleraram o alumínio (10 mg L-1).

The inoculation of rhizobial strains in jackbean (Canavalia ensiformis), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan), recommended for other regions of Brazil, has not resulted in increases of biological nitrogen fixation rates and plant growth in soils of the coastal tableland of Sergipe (Brazilian Northeast). The objectives of this work were to evaluate the symbiotic effectiveness of indigenous rhizobia from that coastal tableland associated to these three legumes and their tolerance to stresses. Seventeen rhizobia strains were isolated and evaluated in a greenhouse. Four strains were selected for pigeonpea; seven for cowpea and three for jackbean. Nodules number and dry weight were related to shoot dry weight, leaf area and leaf N content, in all three legumes. The same strains were efficient for both cowpea and pigeonpea. Three pigeonpea (R35, R43 and R45) and two cowpea (R10 and R17) rhizobia were characterized in vitro and all showed tolerance to high levels of nalidix acid, chloramphenicol and tetracycline; however, they were sensitive to streptomycin and kanamycin. All strains were able to grow at 35ºC and, except for R17, were tolerant to aluminium (10 mg L-1).

Objetivou-se neste trabalho, isolar, identificar e quantificar bactérias diazotróficas existentes nas raízes e folhas de coqueiro (híbrido PB121) cultivados na baixada litorânea de Sergipe. As populações de bactérias diazotróficas nesses órgãos foram quantificadas pela técnica do número mais provável (NMP) em meios semi-sólidos JNFb e NFb, e identificadas por meio de avaliações microscópicas, culturais e de testes bioquímicos dos sistemas API 20 - E e API 20 - NE. O conteúdo de N em meios semi-sólidos NFb e JNFb foi determinado colorimetricamente, após oito dias de incubação das bactérias, a 32ºC, para estimar a capacidade de fixação biológica dos isolados. Enterobactérias pertencentes ao gênero Enterobacter e bactérias com características semelhantes às do gênero Pseudomonas (pseudomonadas) foram predominantes entre os isolados obtidos. As enterobactérias e pseudomonadas isoladas de folhas foram predominantemente endofíticas. Quanto às diazotróficas isoladas de raízes, observou-se predominância de enterobactérias na sua superfície, ao passo que as pseudomonadas ocorreram em proporções semelhantes na superfície e no interior desse órgão. Após oito dias de incubação, os conteúdos de N nos meios com inoculação das bactérias pseudomonadas foram maiores do que nos meios com inoculação das enterobactérias.

The aim of this work was to isolate, identify and quantify diazotrophic bacteria existing in roots and leaves of coconut palms (hybrid PB121) grown in a coastal lowland of Sergipe, in Brazil. Diazotrophic populations in these organs were quantified by the most probable number (MNP) technique on NFb and JNFb semi-solid media and identified by the evaluation of microscopic, cultural and biochemical characteristics of the isolates. Biochemical characteristics were evaluated using the API 20 - E and API 20 - NE galleries. Nitrogen content in NFb and JNFb semi-solid media inoculated with each of the isolates and incubated for eight days at 32ºC was colorimetrically evaluated to estimate the biological nitrogen fixation capacity of the isolates. Bacteria of the Enterobacter genus and pseudomonads formed the predominant types of N2 - fixers. Enterobacteria and pseudomonads isolated from leaves were predominantly endophytic. Regarding to the diazotroph bacteria isolated from roots, it was observed that enterobacteria were predominant in the root-surface, while pseudomonads were found in nearly equivalent proportions in the surface and in the interior of this organ. After eight days of incubation, pseudomonads isolates presented higher N fixation capacity than enterobacteria.