Colonization, penetration and transformation of manganese oxide nodules by Aspergillus niger

Abstract

SummaryIn this study, the ability of the geoactive fungus Aspergillus niger to colonize and transform manganese nodules from the Clarion‐Clipperton Zone in both solid and liquid media was investigated. Aspergillus niger was able to colonize and penetrate manganese nodules embedded in solid medium and effect extensive transformation of the mineral in both fragmented and powder forms, precipitating manganese and calcium oxalates. Transformation of manganese nodule powder also occurred in a liquid medium in which A. niger was able to remove the fine particles from suspension which were accumulated within the central region of the resulting mycelial pellets and transformed into manganese oxalate dihydrate (lindbergite) and calcium oxalate dihydrate (weddellite). These findings contribute to an understanding of environmental processes involving insoluble manganese oxides, with practical relevance to chemoorganotrophic mineral bioprocessing applications, and, to the best of our knowledge, represent the first demonstration of fundamental direct and indirect interactions between geoactive fungi and manganese nodules.

Chemical and Physical Mechanisms of Fungal Bioweathering of Rock Phosphate

“…However, physical mechanisms of mineral biodeterioration have been demonstrated to be important in black slate bioweathering, along with biochemical mechanisms, by the fungus Schizophyllum commune (Kirtzel et al 2020). Direct mineral interactions were also found to be necessary for more efficient bioweathering of cobalt-containing laterites and pyritic ores (Yang et al 2019) and manganese oxides (Ferrier et al 2019). Examples of fungal tunneling (Fomina et al 2010;Hoffland et al 2003;Jongmans et al 1997;Pinzari et al 2013) and 'footprints' (the marks left by fungal interactions) (Jongmans et al 1997;Kirtzel et al 2020;Pinzari et al 2013;Wei et al 2012) have been widely demonstrated as components of bioweathering, though importantly, not necessarily isolated from organic acids and their impact.…”

“…Aspergillus niger ATCC 1015, Serpula himantioides, and Trametes versicolor, from the Geomicrobiology Group culture collection, were maintained on malt extract agar (MEA, lab M, Bury, UK) at 25 C in the dark. All test fungi are known to produce organic acids and secondary minerals and all have the potential to solubilize various minerals or insoluble metal compounds (Adeyemi and Gadd 2005;Ferrier et al 2019;Fomina and Gadd 2008;Gadd 2016;Gharieb et al 1998).…”

Biotransformation of struvite by Aspergillus niger: phosphate release and magnesium biomineralization as glushinskite

“…niger to colonize, penetrate, solubilize and/or precipitate minerals has been widely demonstrated, e.g. manganese oxides (Wei et al ., ; Ferrier et al ., ), rare earth‐containing monazite sand and lanthanum compounds (Liang and Gadd, ; Kang et al ., ), uranium and phosphorus‐containing minerals (Liang et al ., ) and metals (Al, Ti, Fe) in red mud (Vakilchap et al ., ). These transformations largely depend on the excretion of various metabolites, particularly H + and organic acids, e.g.…”

“…It is known that the geoactive soil fungus, Aspergillus niger, can transform insoluble metal compounds and minerals into soluble forms, a process of environmental significance in element cycling, plant productivity, and environmental biotechnology, e.g. metal bioleaching, biorecovery and bioremediation Gadd et al, 2014;Ferrier et al, 2019). The ability of A. niger to colonize, penetrate, solubilize and/or precipitate minerals has been widely demonstrated, e.g.…”

Calcium Oxalates in Lichens on Surface of Apatite-Nepheline Ore (Kola Peninsula, Russia)

“…(Table 1). It is known according to the results of model experiments that crystallization of oxalates on the surface of minerals in rocks can occur under the influence of microscopic fungi metabolites involved in the formation of biofilms along with lichens [1][2][3][4][5].…”