Abstract Jatropha is an important genus of Euphorbiaceae, with species largely used for various purposes, including the manufacturing of soaps and pharmaceutical products and applications in the bioenergetic industry. Although there have been several studies focusing J. curcas in various aspects, the karyotype features of Jatropha species are poorly known. Therefore, we analyzed six Jatropha species through fluorochrome staining (CMA/DAPI), fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with 5S and 45S rDNA probes and genome size estimation by flow cytometry. Our results revealed several chromosome markers by both CMA/DAPI and FISH for the analyzed species. Five Jatropha species (J. curcas, J. gossypiifolia, J. integerrima, J. multifida and J. podagrica) showed four CMA-positive (CMA+) bands associated with the 5S and 45S rDNA sites (one and two pairs, respectively). However, J. mollissima displayed six CMA+/DAPI- bands co-localized with both 5S and 45S rDNA, which showed a FISH superposition. A gradual variation in the genome sizes was observed (2C = 0.64 to 0.86 pg), although an association between evidenced heterochromatin and genome sizes was not found among species. Except for the unique banding pattern of J. mollissima and the pericentromeric heterochromatin of J. curcas and J. podagrica, our data evidenced relatively conserved karyotypes.

The selection of new microorganisms able to produce antimicrobial compounds is hoped for to reduce their production costs and the side effects caused by synthetic drugs. Clavulanic acid is a β-lactam antibiotic produced by submerged culture, which is widely used in medicine as a powerful inhibitor of β-lactamases, enzymes produced by bacteria resistant to antibiotics such penicillin and cephalosporin. The purpose of this work was to select the best clavulanic acid producer among strains of Streptomyces belonging to the Microorganism Collection of the Department of Antibiotics of the Federal University of Pernambuco (DAUFPE). Initially, the strains were studied for their capacity to inhibit the action of β-lactamases produced by Klebsiella aerogenes ATCC 15380. From these results, five strains were selected to investigate the batch kinetics of growth and clavulanic acid production in submerged culture carried out in flasks. The results were compared with the ones obtained by Streptomyces clavuligerus ATCC 27064 selected as a control strain. The best clavulanic acid producer was Streptomyces DAUFPE 3060, molecularly identified as Streptomyces variabilis, which increased the clavulanic acid production by 28% compared to the control strain. This work contributes to the enlargement of knowledge on new Streptomyces wild strains able to produce clavulanic acid by submerged culture.

Clavulanic acid is a β-lactam antibiotic which has a potent β-lactamase inhibiting activity. In order to optimize its production by the new isolate Streptomyces DAUFPE 3060, the influence of two independent variables, temperature and soybean flour concentration, on clavulanic acid and biomass concentrations was investigated in 250 mL-Erlenmeyers according to a 2² central composite design. To this purpose, temperature and soybean flour (SF) concentration were varied in the ranges 26-34°C and 10-50 g/L, respectively, and the results evaluated utilizing the Response Surface Methodology. The experimental maximum production of clavulanic acid (629 mg/L) was obtained at 32°C and 40 g/L SF after 48 h, while the maximum biomass concentration (3.9 g/L) at 30°C and 50 g/L soybean flour, respectively. These values are satisfactorily close to those (640 mg/L and 3.75 g/L, respectively) predicted by the model, thereby demonstrating the validity of the mathematical approach adopted in this study.

Foram desenvolvidas metodologias para o estabelecimento e cultivo de raízes de Artemisia annua L. (híbrido CPQBA 2/39 x PL5). Estas raízes foram submetidas a diferentes condições de luz e a transformação genética com Agrobacterium rhizogenes (cepas 8196 e 15834). As raízes transgênicas e não-transgênicas (normais) foram cultivadas em meios de Murashige e Skoog (1962), mantidas sobre diferentes condições de fotoperíodo e analisadas para avaliação do conteúdo do composto antiulcerogênico dehidro-epideoxiarteanuína B (composto A). A confirmação do caráter transgênico das raízes foi obtida por Dot Blot. Os extratos dos materiais vegetais foram analisados por Cromatografia Gasosa acoplada a um Espectômetro de Massas (CG/EM). Os cromatogramas dos extratos das raízes normais revelaram a presença de dehidro-epideoxiarteanuína B e de um outro composto (composto B). As condições fotoperiódicas de cultivo influenciaram na produção destes dois compostos, sendo que sobre condição de escuro contínuo, dehidro-epideoxiarteanuína B foi intensamente produzido e o composto B foi detectado em pequenas proporções, enquanto que sob fotoperíodo de 16 horas, o inverso ocorreu. A quantificação de dehidro-epideoxiarteanuína B por Cromatografia Gasosa acoplada a um Detector de Ionização de Chamas (CG/FID) revelou um aumento de aproximadamente cinco vezes na produção deste composto pelas raízes normais cultivadas sobre escuro contínuo em relação às raízes cultivadas na presença de 16 horas de luz. O terpeno dehidro-epideoxiarteanuína B não estava presente nas raízes transgênicas.

Methodologies were developed for the establishment and cultivation of Artemisia annua L (CPQBA 2/39 x PL5 hybrid) roots submitted to light conditions and genetic transformation performed with Agrobacterium rhizogenes (15834 and 8196 strains). The transgenic and non-transgenic (normal) roots were cultured in Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium, kept under different photoperiodic conditions and analyzed for evaluation of the antiulcerogenic dihydro-epideoxyarteannuin B (compound A) contents. The Dot Blot technique was used to confirm the transgenic nature of the roots. The plants¢s crude extracts were analyzed by Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrum (CG/MS). The chromatograms of the extracts taken from normal roots revealed the presence of dihydro-epideoxyarteannuin B and other compound (compound B). Photoperiods during cultivation influenced the production of these two compounds: under continuous darkness dihydro-epideoxyarteannuin B was intensely produced and the compound B present in small amounts, while on 16 h photoperiod, the inverse occurred. The quantification of dihydro-epideoxyarteannuin B by Gas Chromatography coupled to Flame Detector Ionization (CG/FID) revealed an approximately fivefold increase in the production of this compound by normal roots kept under continuous darkness compared to roots kept under 16 h light period. The terpene dihydro-epideoxiarteannuin B was not present in transgenic hairy roots.