In this course the subject of research in natural products with application in biotechnology, such as products with bioinsecticide activity, will be addressed. Students must be able to know the main techniques of isolation, identification and characterization of molecules and develop the ability to outline and implement bioassays that validate its use. It is intended that the students be able to explain how the various types of chemical structure of natural products are biosynthesized as well as the relationship with its role in the ecosystem and its application in biotechnological contexts. They will carry out practical work to acquire skills at the level of the planning and development of the activities and the analysis of the results obtained.
A theoretical program which discusses the formation, structure and properties of natural products (NP) is presented. It starts by focusing on the main routes of biosynthesis. After this introduction the main classes of NP are studied. The characterization of each class of NP, whether chemically, or biologically, is presented, relating the biological activity with the structure of the compounds studied. Finally, and after this introduction, the biosynthetic pathways that lead to the formation of each class of NP are studied. However, these NP usually represent only a small fraction of the total material extracted and their isolation requires extensive concentration and purification processes. Thus, this course also encompasses, on TP lessons and laboratory practices, the study of the various purification processes, as well as, the structure determination by spectroscopic methods. During the lessons the extracted products are tested in order to evaluate their insecticide activity.
The method of the theoretical classes (1h sessions) is expository, presenting the concepts, hypotheses and conclusions in a critical way, to stimulate the interest in the topics discussed and develop the critical and scientific spirit of the students.
TP classes (3h sessions) will also be organized, with a practical and experimental purpose, complementing the theoretical ones. The main purpose of these classes is to provide each student a real contact with the problems which arise in the extraction and identification of NP and determination of biological activity.
Torssell KBG, Natural Product Chemistry:A Mechanistic, Biosynthetic and Ecological Approach, 2nded, Swedish Pharmaceutical Press, Stockholm,1997
Colegate SM & Molyneux RJ(Eds), Bioactive Natural Products:Detection, Isolation, and Structural Determination, 2nd ed, CRC, Boca Raton, FL, 2008
Natori S, Ikekawa N & Suzuki M (Eds), Advances in Natural Products Chemistry:Extraction and Isolation of Biologically Active Compounds, Wiley, New York, NY, 1981
Jeremy KM, Sanders JKM, Brian K & Hunter BK, Modern NMR Spectroscopy, 2nded, Oxford University Press, New York, NY, 1997
Rosa JS, Teixeira T & Oliveira L. 2012. Testing insecticide activities. 2012. In: Barreto MC & Simões N (eds.) Determination of Biological Activities. A Laboratory Manual, pp. 83-87
Rosa JS, Mascarenhas C, Oliveira L, Teixeira T, Barreto MC & Medeiros J. 2010. Biological activity of essential oils from seven Azorean plants against Pseudaletia unipuncta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Journal of Applied Entomology 134: 346-354
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