Accumulation of malic acid and other industrially important organic acids by aspergillus tubingensis AN1257 / Produção biotecnológica de ácido málico por Aspergillus Tubingensis AN1257

Organic acids act as acidifiers which improve sensorial characteristics of beverages, contributing to color, aroma, and taste. Malic acid is one of the industrially important acidifiers, and is also applied in metal cleaning. There is a challenge to establish biotechnological processes for its accumulation. One approach to improve production is searching for better strains, which be adequate for bioconversion and product accumulation from cheaper substrates. The present work aimed to identify a panel of organic acids produced by Aspergillus tubingensis, which has shown high biotechnological potential due to the ability of producing a variety of enzymes and of utilizing several substrates. A. tubingensis AN1257 was compared to a standard organic acid producer, Aspergillus niger 10v10. Secretion of organic acids in dependence of the carbon source concentration, time, and pH was evaluated, and the acids produced were detected and quantified by potentiometric titration and by HPLC. Several industrially important organic acids were accumulated by this strain, including citric and malic acids, with the production being affected by culture variables. Culture pH influenced the quantity and type of acid production by strain AN1257. It was able to convert sucrose to malic acid in submerged bioprocesses, accumulating these industrially important acid in very simple media and culture conditions, posing in perspective the establishment of its biotechnological obtention

Identificação do repasto sanguíneo de flebotomíneos (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) provenientes de área endêmica de leishmaniose no Brasil

O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar o repasto sanguíneo de fêmeas de flebotomíneos capturadas no município de Governador Valadares, área endêmica de leishmaniose visceral e tegumentar no Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Entre maio de 2011 e janeiro 2012 foram realizadas capturas com armadilhas luminosas HP em quatro bairros. Foram capturados 2.614 exemplares (2.090 machos e 524 fêmeas). Noventa e sete fêmeas ingurgitadas foram identificadas como pertencentes às espécies Lutzomyia longipalpis(82,1%) e Lutzomyia cortelezzii(17,9%). Considerando a alimentação simples e a mista, o ensaio imunoenzimático revelou em Lutzomyia longipalpisuma predominância de sangue de galinhas (43,6%), mostrando o importante papel que galinhas podem exercer no peridomicílio, aumentando a chance de contato dos flebotomíneos com outros vertebrados e, consequentemente, o risco de transmissão da leishmaniose.The aim of this study was to identify blood meals of female sandflies captured in the municipality of Governador Valadares, an endemic area of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis, in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. From May 2011 to January 2012, captures were performed using HP light traps in four districts. There were 2,614 specimens (2,090 males and 524 females) captured; 97 engorged females were identified belonging to the species Lutzomyia longipalpis(82.1%) and Lutzomyia cortelezzii(17.9%). Considering simple and mixed feeding, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed a predominance of chicken blood (43.6%) in Lutzomyia longipalpis, showing the important role that chickens exert around the residential areas of Governador Valadares. This finding increases the chances of sandflies contact with other vertebrates and consequently the risk of leishmaniasis transmission

IDENTIFICATION OF SANDFLIES (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) BLOOD MEALS IN AN ENDEMIC LEISHMANIASIS AREA IN BRAZIL

SUMMARY The aim of this study was to identify blood meals of female sandflies captured in the municipality of Governador Valadares, an endemic area of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis, in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. From May 2011 to January 2012, captures were performed using HP light traps in four districts. There were 2,614 specimens (2,090 males and 524 females) captured; 97 engorged females were identified belonging to the species Lutzomyia longipalpis (82.1%) and Lutzomyia cortelezzii (17.9%). Considering simple and mixed feeding, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed a predominance of chicken blood (43.6%) in Lutzomyia longipalpis, showing the important role that chickens exert around the residential areas of Governador Valadares. This finding increases the chances of sandflies contact with other vertebrates and consequently the risk of leishmaniasis transmission