Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: UIARA MARIA DE BARROS LIRA LINS

SIMULTANEOUS BIOSYNTHESIS OF HMG-CoA REDUCTASE INHIBITOR AND BIOEMULSIFIER BY Aspergillus

 niger UCP 1064 WITH THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL USING ALTERNATIVE SUBSTRATES

Statins; Filamentous fungi; Alternative substrates; Bioemulsifier.

HMG-CoA reductase (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase) is the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis. Among the inhibitory molecules of HMG-CoA reductase, statins stand out as a class of drugs widely used in the treatment of atherosclerosis and the reduction of high cholesterol levels, becoming indispensable in the primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. Additionally, they exhibit significant pleiotropic effects, making HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors strategic products that need to be produced nationally to enhance the development of the health industrial complex. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the biotechnological potential of Aspergillus niger UCP 1064 in the production of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and bioemulsifier through submerged fermentation using starch and cassava wastewater as alternative substrates. For the identification of the biomolecule, a bioassay test was performed as a screening method, UV-visible spectrophotometry, and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) followed by the purification process. The results indicated a production of 243.60 μg/mL and a yield of 1.91 g/L-1 of statins, demonstrating that starch and cassava wastewater are ideal substrates for the simultaneous production of statins and surfactant. The surfactant showed a surface tension (ST) of 49.4 mN/m and an emulsion index (EI24) of 95.25%, suggesting it is a bioemulsifier. The statin exhibited antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as against yeasts, also demonstrating the high potential of this biomolecule in addressing the phenomenon of antimicrobial multiresistance. The cytotoxic assay detected a low hemolytic effect (6.47% and α-hemolysis). The results evidenced that A. niger UCP 1064 is a promising strain, and the substrates used proved to be alternative and economical sources for the simultaneous production of statins and bioemulsifier with high potential for application in the pharmaceutical industry.