Identification of bacteria in carnivorous plants of the genus Nepenthes Jéssica Miyuki Korehiça, Mauricio Pereira Lima, Priscila Reina Siliano, Marcia Zorello Laporta

Abstract

Plants of the genus Nepenthes have structural specialization in the form of sacs known as ascidians or urns, which prevent insects and even small mammals that have accidentally fallen into these structures from returning to the surface, causing them to drown and be detained by the cocktail of enzymes present in the pitcher fluid. Since they are typical of nutrient-poor soil, they incorporate nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus necessary for their survival from the chitin present in the exoskeleton of their prey. This study aimed to obtain quantitative and qualitative data on the bacteria contained in Nepenthes traps. Samples of the liquid present in the plant pitchers were analyzed on blood agar and MacConkey agar plates using the semi-quantitative seeding technique by transferring an aliquot of the material to a point on the surface and draining it. The isolated and pure colonies grown on MacConkey Agar were screened and identified using the Enterokit B biochemical series, and the colonies grown on Blood Agar were subjected to catalase testing and Gram staining. After collecting the samples, the results obtained indicate that the bacteria help to degrade the chitin exoskeleton of the prey that falls into the Nepenthes traps, since natural degradation takes days to be fully digested. Bacteria from the Enterobacteriaceae family were found, such as Klebsiella spp, Enterobacter spp, Citrobacter spp, which are mainly found in the intestines of humans and animals. Before dormancy, a wide variety of microorganisms were identified and the digestion of the nutrients present in their pitcher was increased. After the dormant period, it was found that despite the jar being closed, the fluid was not sterile and the amount of available bacteria decreased, but it is not known whether this was because they had just come out of dormancy or because the plant absorbed the nutrients.