Production of lichen metabolites by immobilized cells of Cladonia clathrata AHTI & XAVIER FILHO

The production of lichen metabolites by immobilized cells of Cladonia clath rata Ahti & Xavier Filho, collected from sandy soils of the tableland of Al handra, Para iba, NE of Brazil is reported. Cells were entrapped in kaolini te, and 0.1 mM, 1.0 mM and 10 mM sodium acetate was added to immobilized ce lls as a precursor of lichen phenolics. Entrapped cells produced the highes t amount of some substances that have not been reported in the literature, although they were also detected from organic extracts of the thallus in na tura. The concentration of the precursor seemed to enhance the production o f a specific compound, protocetraric acid, by cells maintained at 0,1mM; a non identified compound at 1.0 mM and the Cph-2 substance at 10mM. The data lead us to conclude that the immobilized cells have a better performance f or producing metabolites. However, the major phenolic of this lichen specie s, fumarprotocetraric acid, was produced at very low amounts by cells loade d with 1.0 mM acetate.