Produção de enzimas hidrolíticas por fungos endofíticos isolados de Gustavia hexapetala (Alb.) Sm. e Myrciaria dubia (Kunth) McVaugh. na Amazônia

Abstract

The Amazon Rainforest encompasses a vast biological diversity of plants and animals, as well as other living organisms such as microorganisms. Among these, endophytic fungi stand out as organisms that establish ecological relationships with plants by entering and colonizing a variety of plant tissues, including seeds, leaves, branches, and fruits. Within this association, endophytes can synthesize bioactive molecules that hold potential applications across various industrial sectors, highlighting their biotechnological potential. Enzymes, in particular, are notable biomolecules that act as catalysts in the chemical reactions occurring within the metabolism of living organisms. Enzymes have applications in industries such as textile production, detergents, food processing, and leather manufacturing. Given the relevance of these enzymes and the need to expand enzymatic studies related to Amazonian biodiversity, this study aimed to evaluate the production of hydrolases by endophytic fungi isolated from the native Amazonian plants, jeniparana (Gustavia hexapetala) and camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia). For the isolation of endophytes from M. dubia, fragments of leaves, branches, and fruits were collected from two individuals in the municipality of Manacapuru, Amazonas. The collected material underwent washing, asepsis (using 70% ethanol, 3% sodium hypochlorite, and autoclaved distilled water), isolation (PDA + YE plates in triplicates with four fragments incubated at 18 °C and 28 °C), purification, and preservation of isolates. The fungi from G. hexapetala used in this research were obtained from CCM/UEA. Twenty-five fungi isolated from branches of each plant species were selected and morphologically characterized. Of the 50 selected fungi, 31 were classified into six different genera: Fusarium (18%), Penicillium (6%), Helicosporium (20%), Aspergillus (6%), Rhizoctonia (6%), and Guignardia (6%), with one fungus identified as Aspergillus niger. The remaining 38% did not exhibit reproductive characteristics, making morphological identification impossible. Enzymatic tests revealed that 6% of the tested endophytes produced amylolytic degradation halos (18 mm and 10 mm), while 14% tested positive for protease production (14.67 mm, 12.67 mm, 11.33 mm, 11 mm, 10.67 mm, 10 mm, and 9.67 mm). These findings highlight the significance of endophytic fungi from Amazonian plants for biotechnological applications and emphasize the importance of conserving these species. The study also provides a foundation for future research aiming to further explore the potential of these fungi in producing bioactive molecules for use in various industrial sectors. Keywords: Amazon; Biotechnology; Camu-camu; Enzymes; Endophytic fungi.