Lectin-carbohydrate binding may be involved in the recognition of Schistosoma mansoni sporocysts by haemocytes of Biomphalaria; therefore, we tested if this interaction is associated with snail resistance against Schistosoma infection. In vitro data showed that most of the S. mansoni sporocysts cultured with haemocytes from Biomphalaria glabrata BH, a highly susceptible snail strain, had a low number of cells that adhered to their tegument and a low mortality rate. Moreover, the addition of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) did not alter this pattern of adherence and mortality. Using haemocytes and haemolymph of Biomphalaria tenagophila Cabo Frio, we observed a high percentage of sporocysts with adherent cells, but complete encapsulation was not detected. Low concentrations of GlcNAc increased haemocyte binding to the sporocysts and mortality, which returned to basal levels with high concentrations of the carbohydrate. In contrast, haemocytes plus haemolymph from B. tenagophila Taim encapsulated cellular adhesion index of level 3 and destroyed over 30% of the S. mansoni sporocysts in culture. Interestingly, the addition of GlcNAc, but not mannose, to the culture medium resulted in the significant inhibition of cellular adhesion to the parasite tegument and the reduction of parasite mortality, suggesting that GlcNAc carbohydrate moieties are important to the recognition of S. mansoni by B. tenagophila Taim.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as comunidades de leveduras associadas a frutos, cogumelos, exudatos de árvores e moscas do gênero Drosophila, em dois fragmentos de Mata Atlântica no Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Foram coletadas 456 amostras no Parque Estadual do Rio Doce e 142 na Estação Ecológica da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Destas amostras foram obtidas 608 isolados de levedura, distribuídas em 71 espécies. Entre os isolados obtidos a partir do Parque Estadual do Rio Doce, 17 foram provenientes de frutos, 12 de cogumelos, 13 de exudatos de árvores e 299 de Drosophila spp. A Estação Ecológica da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais possibilitou a obtenção de 24 isolados de frutos e 243 de Drosophila spp. Foram observadas comunidades distintas de leveduras associadas a Drosophila, frutos, cogumelos e exudatos de árvores. O maior número de espécies foi obtido em drosófilas, sugerindo que estas moscas são vetores naturais destes microrganismos.

We studied the yeast communities associated with fruits, mushrooms, tree exudates, and flies of the genus Drosophila, in two Atlantic Rain Forest fragments in state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. A total of 456 samples were collected from Rio Doce State Park and 142 from Ecological Station of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. From these samples, 608 yeast isolates were obtained, belonging to 71 different species. Among the yeasts isolated from Rio Doce State Park, 17 isolates were recovered from fruits, 12 from mushrooms, 13 from tree exudates, and 299 from Drosophila spp. In the Ecological Station of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 24 isolates were recovered from fruits and 243 from Drosophila spp. Distinct communities of yeast were observed in Drosophila flies, fruits, mushrooms and tree exudates. The highest number of yeast species was recovered from Drosophila flies suggesting that flies are the natural vectors of these microorganisms.

Este estudo avaliou a capacidade de levedura Saccharomycopsis schoenii Nadson & Krassiln (UWO-PS 80-91) em controlar o crescimento dos fungos fitopatogênicos Penicillium expansum Link (UFMG 01-2002), P. italicum Wehmer (LCP 61.1199), e P. digitatum (Pers.: Fr.) (LCP 984263, LCP 68175 e LCP 4354). S. schoenii reduziu a severidade da doença em laranjas inoculadas com todos os fitopatógenos testados. Entre estes fitopatógenos, P. digitatum LCP4354 apresentou a maior virulência enquanto que P. digitatum LCP 68175 foi o mais suscetível à predação. A levedura foi capaz de permanecer viável, sem produzir lesões na superfície dos frutos por 21 dias. Outra característica desejável observada foi a ausência de produção de substâncias antagonistas. Sendo assim, este trabalho evidência o potencial de utilização da levedura S. schoenii em protocolos de controle biológico de doenças pós-colheita em laranjas.

In this study we evaluated the ability of Saccharomycopsis schoenii Nadson and Krassiln (UWO-PS 80-91) as biocontrol agent against plant pathogenic filamentous fungi P. expansum Link (UFMG 01-2002), P. italicum Wehmer (LCP 61.1199), and P. digitatum (Pers.: Fr.) (LCP 984263, LCP 68175 and LCP 4354). S. schoenii was able to reduce disease severity in oranges inoculated with all fungi. Among the phytopathogens, P. digitatum LCP4354 was the most virulent whereas P. digitatum LCP 68175 was the most susceptible to predation. The yeast was able to survive for 21 days on the fruit surface and did not produce lesions on oranges. Production of antagonistic substances by S. schoenii was not detected using standard techniques. Our results point to the potential use of S. schoenii to control postharvest phytopathogens in fruits.