Las microalgas son microorganismos fotosintéticos con gran potencial para abastecer las demandas energéticas mundiales. Sin embargo, los limitados conocimientos que se tienen de estos organismos, en particular a nivel molecular de los procesos metabólicos, han limitado su uso con estos propósitos. En esta investigación se ha realizado el análisis in silico de la subunidad alfa de la acetil-Coenzima A carboxilasa heteromérica (αACCasa), una enzima clave en la biosíntesis de lípidos de las microalgas Chlorella sp. y Scenedesmus sp. Asimismo, se ha medido la expresión de este gen en ambas especies cultivadas en medios deficientes de nitrógeno. Los resultados indican que la αACCasa muestra conservación estructural y funcional en ambas especies de microalgas y su mayor similitud genética con otras especies de microalgas. Asimismo, se ha mostrado que el nivel de expresión del g...

A plausible strategy to mitigate socioeconomic problems in the Peruvian Amazon is through the sustainable exploitation of biodiversity resources, such as native microalgae. Several studies worldwide affirm that these microorganisms are excellent sources of higher value products for human nutrition and possess health-promoting biochemicals, but these attributes are unknown for the native microalgae of Peru. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to evaluate the nutritional and human health-promoting potential of compounds biosynthesized by native microalgae from the Peruvian Amazon. Ten native microalgae strains of the groups cyanobacteria and chlorophyta were cultured in BG-11 medium and their biomass harvested and dried. Standardized methods were then used to determine proximate composition, fatty acids and amino acids composition, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic content....

Camu-camu is a shrub, native to the Amazon that thrives in areas where flooding is frequent. Genetically, the plant is characterized by a diploid genome and moderate genetic diversity. Several parts of the plant are used in traditional folk medicine to treat a variety of acute and chronic diseases. For over 50 years, the exceptionally high vitamin C content of camu-camu has attracted worldwide attention that continues today because of the recent discovery of several health-promoting phytochemicals with corroborated biological activities (e.g., antioxidant, anti-obesity, antidiabetic). All of these beneficial attributes are well supported by in vitro and in vivo studies as well as human clinical trials. The metabolic precursors of these phytochemicals are synthesized in key metabolic pathways (i.e., the shikimate pathway, the mevalonate pathway). Of these metabolic pathways, we show detai...

Myrciaria dubia “camu-camu” is a native shrub of the Amazon that is commonly found in areas that are flooded for three to four months during the annual hydrological cycle. This plant species is exceptional for its capacity to biosynthesize and accumulate important quantities of a variety of health-promoting phytochemicals, especially vitamin C [1], yet few genomic resources are available [2]. Here we provide the dataset of a de novo assembly and functional annotation of the transcriptome from a pool of samples obtained from seeds during the germination process and seedlings during the initial growth (until one month after germination). Total RNA/mRNA was purified from different types of plant materials (i.e., imbibited seeds, germinated seeds, and seedlings of one, two, three, and four weeks old), pooled in equimolar ratio to generate the cDNA library and RNA paired-end sequencing wa...

The Amazonian shrub Myrciaria dubia (camu-camu) produces vitamin C-rich fruits of growing commercial interest. However, sustainable utilization requires assessment and protection of the genetic diversity of the available germplasm. This study aimed to develop and apply microsatellite markers to assess genetic diversity and construct a core collection of M. dubia germplasm from the Peruvian Amazon. Sixteen polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed using an enrichment approach. The evaluation of 336 genotypes from 43 accessions of the germplasm bank, originating from eight river basins, was conducted using these newly developed markers. Genetic diversity parameters, including observed and expected heterozygosity, were calculated. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) was performed to assess the distribution of genetic variation within and among accessions and river basins. Bayesian c...

The Amazonian shrub Myrciaria dubia (camu-camu) produces vitamin C-rich fruits of growing commercial interest. However, sustainable utilization requires assessment and protection of the genetic diversity of the available germplasm. This study aimed to develop and apply microsatellite markers to assess genetic diversity and construct a core collection of M. dubia germplasm from the Peruvian Amazon. Sixteen polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed using an enrichment approach. The evaluation of 336 genotypes from 43 accessions of the germplasm bank, originating from eight river basins, was conducted using these newly developed markers. Genetic diversity parameters, including observed and expected heterozygosity, were calculated. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) was performed to assess the distribution of genetic variation within and among accessions and river basins. Bayesian c...