Este trabalho teve por finalidade realizar estudos biológicos da espécie de crisopídeo de maior ocorrência nos agroecossistemas brasileiros, Chrysoperla externa, a fim de viabilizar a criação desta em condições de laboratório. O trabalho foi desenvolvido no Laboratório de Entomologia da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, onde foi estudada a biologia das fases imatura e adulta de C. externa, alimentando suas larvas com ovos de Bonagota cranaodes e os adultos com dieta artificial a base de lêvedo de cerveja e mel na proporção de 1:1. O período embrionário foi determinado utilizando cápsulas de gelatina e tubos de vidro de 2,5x8,5cm e os insetos adultos foram criados em gaiolas de tubo de PVC com 10,0 cm de diâmetro e 23,0cm de comprimento em temperatura de 25±2°C e 70±10% de umidade relativa e fotofase de 14 horas. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, o período embrionário foi de 4,0 dias, com viabilidade de 89,2%. Para a fase larval, foi determinada uma duração de 13,1 dias, sendo a duração média para o 1°, 2° e 3° ínstares de 3,7; 4,9; e 4,5 dias, respectivamente. O período médio de pré-pupa e pupa foi de 1,4 e 9,3 dias, respectivamente, perfazendo um ciclo de desenvolvimento médio de 27,8 dias. As medidas da largura da cápsula cefálica mostraram que a regra de Dyar aplica-se nesse caso. Larvas de Chrysoperla externa podem ser criadas em ovos de Bonagota cranaodes em condições de laboratório.

The paper aimed to conduct biological studies of the chrysopidae species most frequent in the Brazilian agroecosystems, Chrysoperla externa, in order to raise this species under laboratory conditions. The research was developed at the Entomology Laboratory of the Federal University of Santa Maria, where biological studies of immature and adult stages of C. externa were performed, feeding its larva with eggs of Bonagota cranaotes and adults with an artificial diet based on beer yeast and honey, in the 1:1 proportion. The embryonic period was determined using gel capsules and 2.5x8.5cm glass tubes. The adult insects were raised in PVC tubes of 10.0cm diameter and 23.0cm length, at the temperature of 25°C±2°C and 70±10% relative humidity and 14 hour photophase. According to the results obtained, the embryonic period was of 4.0 days, with 89.2% of viability, the mean larval period for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd instars was of 3.7, 4.9 and 4.5 days, respectively. The mean period for pre-pupa and pupa was of 1.4 and 9.3 days, respectively, amounting to a mean developing cycle of 27.8 days. The width measures of the cephalic capsule showed that the Dyar's rule can applied to this case. Larva of Chrysoperla externa may be raised in eggs of Bonagota cranaodes under laboratory conditions.

The AIDS epidemy has spread out and led to the diversification on the research for new antiviral drugs. Natural products, especially those derived from plants, are well-recognized as excellent sources of new drugs. Several of them have inhibitory activity against HIV replication, and some have been already clinically tested, with favorable results. This review presents the biochemical basis of the viral cycle and the research up to date on the identification, determination of the mechanism of biological action together with the therapeutical potential of plants-derived natural products, in the inhibition of HIV.

O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar bactérias queratinolíticas isoladas resíduos de penas. Quatro isolados foram selecionados após crescimento em meio sólido contendo farinha de pena como única fonte de carbono e nitrogênio e avaliados quanto a atividade proteolítica em placas de ágar leite. Foram identificadas três linhagens Gram-negativas (pertencentes aos gêneros Burkholderia, Chryseobacterium e Pseudomonas) e uma Gram-positiva (Microbacterium sp.). Estas bactérias cresceram em vários resíduos queratinosos como farinha de pena, penas de frango, unhas de frango, pelos e lã. A atividade queratinolítica foi observada durante crescimento, mas a degradação completa dos substratos não foi observada em todos os casos. O caráter proteolítico das enzimas foi determinado usando azoqueratina e azocaseína como substratos. As queratinases foram ativas em ambos substratos e apresentaram hidrólise de queratina comparável a peptidases microbianas disponíveis comercialmente. Estes novos isolados queratinolíticos apresentam potencial uso biotecnológico em processos relacionados com hidrólise de queratina.

The aim of this study was to characterize keratinolytic bacteria isolated from feather waste. Four isolates were selected after growth on solid medium with feather meal as sole carbon and nitrogen source and screened for proteolytic activity on milk agar plates. Three isolates were Gram-negative (belonged to the genera Burkholderia, Chryseobacterium and Pseudomonas) and one was Gram-positive (Microbacterium sp.). These bacteria grew on diverse keratin wastes such as feather meal, raw feathers, chicken nails, hair and wool. Keratinase activity was detected during growth, but the complete degradation of these substrates was not always achieved. The proteolytic character of crude enzymes was assessed using azokeratin and azocasein as substrates. The keratinases were active on both substrates and were similar in keratin hydrolysis when compared with commercially available microbial peptidases. These novel keratinolytic isolates have potential biotechnological use in processes involving keratin hydrolysis.

The strain Chryseobacterium sp. kr6 shown to be useful for biotechnological purposes such as hydrolysis of poultry feathers and de-hairing of bovine pelts. The effect of temperature, initial pH and media composition on protease production by this keratinolytic strain was studied. The enzyme was produced between 25 and 37ºC, with maximum activity and yield at 30ºC. When protease production was tested in media with different initial pH, maximum activity was observed when cultivation was carried out at 30ºC and initial pH ranging from 6.0 to 8.0. Higher activity was observed when feathers or feather meal were used as growth substrates, followed by soybean meal. The addition of carbohydrates or surfactants to feather broth resulted in decrease in keratinolytic activity.