Describing the unexplored microorganisms associated with guarana: A typical tropical plant

Abstract

In Amazon rainforest, guarana (Paullinia cupana) is a typical tropical plant with valuable pharmaceutical, economic, and social importance, especially for Brazil, which is the only commercial producer of guarana. Despite its importance and exclusive origins, knowledge regarding the microbial community associated with guarana is incipient. The microorganisms associated with this plant were only recently determined, and they were nearly unexplored until 2010 when two research groups from São Paulo and Amazonas States joined in an unprecedented project to explore the guarana microbiome. The main goal of the project was to find a biological control for Colletotrichum, the causal agent of guarana anthracnose, which is an important disease that severely affects the culture. Due to the huge diversity found in the microbial community associated with guarana, the project has extended beyond its original purpose, and other biotechnological applications have been found for these new microorganisms. From the collection of fungi and bacteria (endophytic and epiphytic, culturable and unculturable) that were obtained from different ecological niches of guarana, several studies have been conducted aimed at different applications, especially focusing on the control of plant pathogens, the promotion of plant growth, and the discovery of new compounds.