Extracting DNA of nematodes communities from Argentine Pampas agricultural soils

We examined four strategies (Tris/EDTA, sodium dodecyl sulfate, Chelex 100 resin and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide -CTAB-) for extracting nucleic acid (DNA) from communities of nematodes. Nematodes were isolated from an agricultural area under different management of long-term crop rotation experiment from Argentina during three seasons. After DNA extraction, Polymerase Chain Reaction-amplifications were performed and considered as indicators of successful DNA extraction. The CTAB combined with proteinase K and phenol-chloroform-isoamyl alcohol was the unique successful method because positive amplifications were obtained by using both eukaryotic and nematode specific primers. This work could contribute to biodiversity studies of nematodes on agroecosystems

Fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMAs) em uma formação vegetal de restinga: ecologia e potencial para micorrizorremediação de hidrocarboneto do petróleo

As fontes contaminantes relacionadas à exploração, à produção, ao armazenamento, ao transporte, à distribuição e à destinação final de petróleo e seus derivados trazem riscos que ameaçam ambientes litorâneos frágeis, pouco estudados e que necessitam de atenção da comunidade científica. Por outro lado, mecanismos simbiontes fundamentais para a própria existência de inúmeras espécies vegetais e sua relação com solos contaminados permanecem desconhecidos.  Não obstante serem identificadas diversas espécies de FMAs em comunidades de solos halófilos de restinga pode-se inferir seu potencial biorremediador por estudos realizados em outros tipos de solo, mas que relatam os mesmos gêneros de fungos como participantes dos processos micorrizorremediadores de solos poluídos.  Pretende-se, aqui, destacar a aplicação de biotecnologia utilizando Fungos Micorrízicos Arbusculares (FMAs) em solos impactados por diversos poluentes, entre eles os hidrocarbonetos de petróleo.<br /

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on a sandbank plant formation: ecology and potential for hydrocarbon oil mycorrhizoremediation

The sources of contamination related to the exploration, production, storage, transport, distribution and disposal of petroleum, and its products, carry risks that threaten fragile coastal environments, little studied and, thus, in need of attention from the scientific community. On the other hand, symbiont mechanisms essential for the very existence of many plant species, and their relation to contaminated soils, remain unknown. Despite the identification of several species of AMF halophytes soil communities in sandbanks, one can infer their bioremediation potential from studies in other types of soil, which, however, report the same genera of fungi as participants in mycorrhizoremediation processes of polluted soil. This study focuses on the application of biotechnology using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) in soils impacted by petroleum hydrocarbons