Study by CNPEM and UFPA researchers may also benefit industry, agriculture and stimulate sustainable forest use
A study on the biosynthetic potential of bacteria isolated in the Amazon opens up promising paths for the development of new antibiotics and antitumor agents. Carried out in partnership between CNPEM (Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials) and UFPA (Federal University of Pará), the research analyzed in detail microorganisms present in the soil of a conservation unit in the region. In addition to medicinal applications, the discoveries have the potential to generate positive impacts on industry, agriculture and the sustainable use of biological resources in the Amazon rainforest.
The group investigated three bacterial species from the Actinomycetes and Bacilli classes, isolated from Amazonian soil, comprising bacteria of the genera Streptomyces, Rhodococcus and Brevibacillus. Assessment of the biosynthetic potential of the extracted material revealed that over half of the genes were unknown. These results highlight the enormous potential of Amazonian bacteria for the production of new molecules, with promising applications in solving challenges related to health and the environment.
“The big differential in the study was the DNA mapping of these bacteria, which allowed the identification of genes for the enzymes responsible for the manufacture of these substances. Much of this information is unprecedented and had not yet been discovered by science. This shows how much we can still learn about Amazonian bacteria, that hold important secrets for the generation of new medicines and biotechnologies”, says researcher Daniela Trivella, Drug Discovery Coordinator at LNBio (Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory).
Research highlights the potential of Amazonian bacteria to produce new molecules with promising applications in solving health and environmental challenges (CNPEM)
“Biosynthetic gene clusters are responsible for the production of substances with biological potential, such as medicines. Even in organisms that have already been studied, such as bacteria of the genus Streptomyces, we saw that there are still many unknown substances in specimens isolated from the Amazonian soil. This shows how essential the ecosystem is to new discoveries. Amazon, in this sense, continues to be a rich and little explored area for developing new products”, explains researcher Rafael Baraúna (EngBio-UFPA), who coordinated the work for UFPA, in partnership with CNPEM.
Furthermore, researchers used an advanced technique called metabologenomics. This approach connects the substances that bacteria produce to the genes that allow them to be manufactured. This opens up the possibility of replicating these molecules in the laboratory, using technologies that can sustainably increase production, using biotechnological routes.
Another novelty was “the use of a technology that was never seen before in Latin America, the PromethION sequencer from Oxford Nanopore (United Kingdom), that stands out for generating high-quality readings, allowing sequencing of complex genomes with high data throughput and low cost. Nanopore-based sequencing technology enables real-time analysis and direct DNA reading. Additionally, its portability and flexibility make it suitable for both laboratory and field applications” — highlights Diego Assis das Graças, responsible for sequencing at EngBio-UFPA and one of the article’s authors.
According to Maria Augusta Arruda, director of LNBio, “by integrating advanced genomics and metabolomics techniques, this study not only expands knowledge about microorganisms with medicinal applications, opening paths for the development of new drugs and biotechnologies, but also reinforces CNPEM’s ability to promote research that combines cutting-edge science, social impact and sustainable exploration of Brazilian biodiversity.”
Collaboration among institutions
The study is also an example of union among CNPEM, UFPA (Federal University of Pará) and the BioTec-Amazon Association. The then PhD student Ana Carolina Miranda de Oliveira, that integrated both institutions, combined knowledge from UFPA’s Genetics and Molecular Biology program and EngBio-UFPA’s genomic sequencing tools, with advanced technologies from CNPEM, such as mass spectrometry and innovative software for natural product metabolomics. She worked under the guidance of Professor Maria Paula Cruz Schneider (UFPA), with co-supervision by Daniela Trivella (CNPEM).
This work is part of a greater effort to create a multi-user research center at UFPA, supported by CNPEM and national projects like Iwasa’i, recently implemented in the context of the CNPq/MCTI/FNDCT call No. 19/2024 – Advanced Centers in Strategic Areas for Sustainable Development in the Amazon Region – Pro-Amazon. “Iwasa’i will provide access to cutting-edge technologies for scientists in the Amazon region, encouraging the sustainable use of Amazonian biodiversity and placing Brazil at the forefront of important discoveries and technological developments”, says Artur Luiz da Costa da Silva, coordinator of the partnership for UFPA and BioTec-Amazônia.
Research continues, but the first results are beginning to be released: the scientific article A metabologenomics approach reveals the unexplored biosynthetic potential of bacteria isolated from an Amazon Conservation Unit was published in December 2024 in the journal Microbiology Spectrum, of the American Society of Microbiology (https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.00996-24).
About CNPEM
The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is home to a state-of-the-art, multi-user and multidisciplinary scientific environment and works on different fronts within the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation. A social organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), CNPEM is driven by research that impacts the areas of health, energy, renewable materials, and sustainability. It is responsible for Sirius, the largest assembly of scientific equipment constructed in the country, and is currently constructing Project Orion, a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research. Highly specialized science and engineering teams, sophisticated infrastructure open to the scientific community, strategic lines of investigation, innovative projects involving the productive sector, and training for researchers and students are the pillars of this institution that is unique in Brazil and able to serve as a bridge between knowledge and innovation. It is responsible for operating the Brazilian Synchrotron Light (LNLS), Biosciences (LNBio), Nanotechnology (LNNano), and Biorenewables (LNBR) National Laboratories, as well as the Ilum School of Science, which offers a bachelor’s degree program in science and technology with support from the Ministry of Education (MEC).
