USO DE FERRAMENTAS DA BIOINFORMÁTICA PARA DETERMINAÇÃO DOS POSSÍVEIS EFEITOS DO Β-CAROTENO NO CULTIVO IN VITRO DE PHALAENOPSIS

Ornamental plants show economic interest, among the greatest number of commercializations results from orchids of the genus Phalaenopsis. In vitrocultivation aims to propagate a high number of plants with phytosanitary quality. Bioinformatics, helps in the search for similar genomes of organisms, whose genetic information is stored in database. The objective of the work was to determine the effects of β-carotene on the development of Phalaenopsisgrown in vitro, and to determine the appropriate culture médium for germination and development of Phalaenopsis,analyzing the gene and protein of Daucus carotaβ-carotene. Three treatments for germination of hybrid Phalaenopsisseeds were tested, a Knudson culture médium, Murashige and Skoog (MS) and Knudson with a 10% (v/v) incremente of carrot juice. Followed by test for the cultivation of hybrid Phalaenopsisseedlings in four treatments, the Knudson culture médium, MS, Knudson whit increased growth regulators (BAP/ANA) and Knudson médium supplemented with carrot juice 10% (v/v). The results demonstrate that carrot juice is beneficial for the germination and development of orchids of the genus Phalaenopsis.Through bioinformatics analysis using CLUSTAL and BLAST, information was obtained on the Daucus carota β-carotene gene and protein and it was found that a substitute for carrots in the preparation of culture médium is Citrus sinensis. Citrus sinensisis na abundant source of citric acid, whichhelps to reduce oxidation in plants grown in vitro. It is concluded that the médium suitable for the cultivation of Phalaenopsisis the médium supplemented whith carrot juice and that it is possibly the β-carotene presente in the carrot, which is responsible for the benefits in the seedling development.