Desafio do processo fermentativo em café e o papel dos miRNAs em abelhas

Abstract

This is a thesis resulting from research carried out in the doctoral course in the Postgraduate Program in Genetics and Biochemistry at the Federal University of Uberlândia, whose object of study was the function of bee micro RNAs and the coffee fermentation process. Brazil is one of the largest coffee producers in the world and, therefore, coffee activity is very relevant to the country's economy and culture. Among the country's various coffee growing regions, the state of Minas Gerais stands out, whose climatic and vegetative factors support the planting of coffee. However, it is important to highlight that due to factors such as climate change, soil changes and even planting illnesses, they can harm coffee cultivation, and consequently, affect Brazilian economic activity. In this sense, it is viable to think about alternative resources so that coffee cultivation does not suffer irreparable damage, since some factors mentioned above are not controllable. One of the alternative resources that can be used is bee pollination. The pollination work of bees, in turn, is capable of increasing coffee production. As there is a diversity of bee species in Brazil, it is important to carefully study the behaviors and genetic factors of bees to understand which species has the greatest potential to pollinate coffee cultivars. To this end, the empirical basis of this thesis was constructed, Chapter I, which sought the theoretical foundation in academic works. In the theoretical foundation, the characteristics of coffee were discussed, its cultivation in Brazil, as well as in Minas Gerais, and the different stages that coffee goes through until it becomes a drink. There was also a discussion about bees, their contribution to coffee cultivation and their genetic factors. Chapter II of this thesis, in turn, is an article, whose primary objectives were to identify and characterize, using in silico methods, proteins involved in the miRNA pathway, including precursor and mature miRNAs. To improve understanding of the characteristics and function of miRNA in bees, we performed a scan and functional analysis of the entire miRNA genome of eight different species of bees, classified with different social behaviors, such as highly eusocial, primitively eusocial and solitary. From then on, The objective of this study was to identify and characterize, using in silico methods, mature miRNAs, their respective precursors, their possible targets – more specifically Vitellogenin – and the genes involved in their processing pathway in the genome of the species: Apis mellifera, Bombus impatiens, Dufourea novaeangliae, Eufriesea americana, Habropoda laboriosa, Lasioglossum albipes, Melipona quadrifasciata and Megachile rotundata. The results of this work will open a new path for the study of miRNA in bee biology, helping to understand, based on the comparative analysis of molecular elements, similarities and differences that justify morphological, physiological and behavioral modifications; the origin and maintenance of sociability, gene interactions that lead to the routine development of specific castes, the genetic basis of infertility in workers, molecular targets related to the regulation of pollinator behavior, balanced action of hormones, among others. Chapter III is an article whose specific objective was to evaluate and relate different processing and fermentation conditions of the Catiguá MG2 cultivar with the final quality of the drink in the cup, through the analysis of the results of accredited evaluators and with the use of diagnostic tools for these results in order to search for correspondences between the experiments. The specific objectives were: a) Characterize Catiguá MG2 coffee in the 2021/2022 harvest; a1) analyze the environmental conditions of fermentations to obtain desirable characteristics in coffee; a2) identify environmental conditions in traditional and alternative processes; b) evaluate the sensorial profile of beverages produced from cherry and peeled cherry coffees, dried and submerged fermented on the producing farm; c) evaluate the sensorial profile of drinks produced from fermented peeled cherry coffees under different time and temperature conditions; d) evaluate organic acids, sugars and alcohols in fermented peeled cherry coffees. Through these objectives, the aim is to explore the potential for producing specialty coffees from farmers located in the Cerrado Mineiro, close to the municipality of Patos de Minas, to investigate and determine the patterns of interactions in the fermentation, drying and roasting process that influence quality. of coffee.