Prospecção de bactérias em colmeia de Melipona mandacaia

Abstract

Melipona mandacaia is a stingless bee species restricted to the Caatinga biome that offers economic and environmental importance. However, biotic and abiotic conditions make bees more susceptible to pathogen attacks. It is known that many microorganisms provide protection to bees and help in the formation of their products. Thus, the objective of this work is to carry out the prospection of bacteria producing organic acids from glucose. Thereby, samples of honey, pollen, geopropolis and trash of bees were collected, stored and taken to the laboratory for analysis. To determine the microbiological quality of samples 1mL of each product was diluted in 9mL of saline (10-1 dilution) and from that, serial dilutions were performed, which were later seeded in Sabouraud agar culture medium (SA) and nutrient agar (NA) being that honey and pollen were sown in both media, but the trash of bees and geopropolis were only sown in NA. The sown microorganisms were placed in the oven and kept for 48 hours at 35ºC for the NA isolates and the SA isolates were placed in the oven for 48 hours at 30ºC. After this procedure, the Colony Forming Units (CFU) were counted. The microorganisms isolated in NA underwent the Red Methyl Test (RM) to verify the production of organic acids. From the RM test, it was verified that the microorganisms isolated from the bee and honey garbage samples produced organic acids from glucose. Therefore, the data obtained revealed that microorganisms isolated from Melipona mandacaia hive products may have antimicrobial activity. Thus, the importance of studying the microbiota associated with stingless bees is emphasized.