Prospecção de pigmentos de fungos isolados de solo de área preservada

Abstract

In recent years, several studies have highlighted the harmful effects of artificial substances used in the food, agriculture, and pharmaceutical industries, especially synthetic dyes. As an alternative to these substances, the search for fungi producing pigments has emerged as a promising option. Specifically, filamentous fungi have the ability to produce secondary metabolites that can replace synthetic products or serve as raw material for new products, minimizing this problem. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the pigment production capacity of filamentous fungi isolated from soil in a preserved area at the Curado Forest Wildlife Refuge (RVS), Recife-PE. After isolation and quantification procedures, five isolates capable of producing extracellular pigments in solid culture medium were selected, identified as Paecilomyces (isolates 01 and 11), Penicillium (isolate 07), Phoma (isolate 16), and Aspergillus (isolate 18). Subsequently, these fungi were cultured in liquid culture media and subjected to different pH, nutrient, and temperature conditions, with agitation at 150 rpm for 9 days. As a result, the conditions in which all isolates maintained pigment production were in Potato Dextrose Broth and Czpeck Broth, pHs 4.5 and 7.0, and temperature of 25°C, indicating that 15°C was a limiting factor when compared to all isolates tested. Additionally, the extract containing the pigments was tested for its antimicrobial capacity, but none of them showed activity against Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Thus, it is concluded that soils from preserved areas are sources of fungi capable of producing extracellular pigments, which can be further studied in future research for their various applications. Finally, the results presented here emphasize the importance of maintaining preserved areas, valuing the fungal component present in soils, and that besides their ecological role, it is possible to add biotechnological value to them.