Planta Med 2015; 81 - PI9
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1556270

Co-culture between insect-associated microorganisms stimulates polyketide production

CR Paludo 1, 4, EA Silva-Junior 1, 4, FS Nascimento 2, CR Currie 3, J Clardy 4, MT Pupo 1
  • 1Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14040 – 903, Brazil
  • 2Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14040 – 901, Brazil
  • 3University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
  • 4Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA

Social insects have been associated with microorganisms that can produce antimicrobial compounds in order to protect their colonies against pathogens. Natural products biosynthesis can be stimulated using co-culture techniques, once in natural conditions microorganisms are competing for nutrients and space. Monascus ruber SdFCP01 and Candida sp. SdFCP02, both isolated from brood cells of the Brazilian stingless bee Scaptotrigona depilis, were co-cultured and the production of the polyketide monascuspiloin by M. ruber was elicited. The ecological roles that M. ruber and Candida sp. play in S. depilis colony have been investigated.