Study of microbial communities in iron cavities at Campos Ferruginosos National Park, PA, Brazil.

The microbiota found in caves with iron lithology is not well-studied despite being a crucial part of the cave ecosystems' biodiversity. Understanding this microbiota can help identify new species and organisms with biotechnological potential, such as plant growth promoters, antimicrobials, metal biotransformers, and controllers of pathogens and agricultural pests. This project aims to compare the phylogenetic and functional diversity of microbial communities in caves and their surrounding areas and explore the biotechnological potential of the cultivable fraction of this microbiota in iron caves. Additionally, it will evaluate the metal tolerance of these communities in the Carajas region. Soil and plant roots will be collected from two caves (GEM -1423 and GEM 1462) and their surroundings during dry and rainy seasons. The genomic analysis will be performed by DNA sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform, and functional diversity will be assessed using the Biolog EcoPlate technique. Metal tolerance will be evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of metals such as Cd, Cr, Pb, Fe, Cu, and As. The potential of the isolates to fix nitrogen, produce ammonium ions, siderophores, indole acetic acid (IAA), and carbonate deposition, as well as their activity of hydrolytic enzymes such as cellulases, amylases, ureases, and proteases, will also be assessed. The project aims to identify bacteria with biotechnological potential and contribute to understanding the ecological relationships in the Carajas region cave environments. This research will help develop management and mining extraction plans, as well as create educational material for scientific dissemination about the importance of this topic.