Toxic Metals and Fungal Communities

Fomina, Marina; Gadd, Geoffrey M.; Burford, Euan P.

doi:10.1201/9781420027891.ch37

Cited by 24 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 149 publications

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“…Environmental contaminants, including metals, may also be sorbed to mineral surfaces and these can be displaced by microbial activity (Kraemer et al, 1999;Huang et al, 2004;Chorover et al, 2007;Theng & Yuan, 2008). Potentially toxic metals released from minerals as a result of physico-chemical and biological processes may also affect microbial communities (Fomina et al, 2005c;Gadd, 2005). Such properties of mineral surfaces as microtopography, surface composition, surface charge and hydrophobicity play an important role in thigmotropism, microbial attachment and detachment, and are therefore critical for colonization and biofilm formation, and the ecology of microbial populations associated with mineral substrates (Vaughan et al, 2002;Gleeson et al, 2005Gleeson et al, , 2006Gleeson et al, , 2010Bowen et al, 2007;Brown et al, 2008).…”

Section: Microbes Metals and Mineralsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, metal toxicity is greatly affected by the physico-chemical nature of the environment and the chemical behaviour of the metal species in question (Gadd & Griffiths, 1978). Despite apparent toxicity, many microbes grow and even flourish in apparently metal-polluted locations, and a variety of mechanisms, both active and incidental, contribute to resistance (Gadd & Griffiths, 1978;Mowll & Gadd, 1984;Gadd et al, 1984;Avery, 2001;Holden & Adams, 2003;Fomina et al, 2005c) (Fig. 3).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Metals, minerals and microbes: geomicrobiology and bioremediation

2010

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Microbes play key geoactive roles in the biosphere, particularly in the areas of element biotransformations and biogeochemical cycling, metal and mineral transformations, decomposition, bioweathering, and soil and sediment formation. All kinds of microbes, including prokaryotes and eukaryotes and their symbiotic associations with each other and 'higher organisms', can contribute actively to geological phenomena, and central to many such geomicrobial processes are transformations of metals and minerals. Microbes have a variety of properties that can effect changes in metal speciation, toxicity and mobility, as well as mineral formation or mineral dissolution or deterioration. Such mechanisms are important components of natural biogeochemical cycles for metals as well as associated elements in biomass, soil, rocks and minerals, e.g. sulfur and phosphorus, and metalloids, actinides and metal radionuclides. Apart from being important in natural biosphere processes, metal and mineral transformations can have beneficial or detrimental consequences in a human context. Bioremediation is the application of biological systems to the clean-up of organic and inorganic pollution, with bacteria and fungi being the most important organisms for reclamation, immobilization or detoxification of metallic and radionuclide pollutants. Some biominerals or metallic elements deposited by microbes have catalytic and other properties in nanoparticle, crystalline or colloidal forms, and these are relevant to the development of novel biomaterials for technological and antimicrobial purposes. On the negative side, metal and mineral transformations by microbes may result in spoilage and destruction of natural and synthetic materials, rock and mineral-based building materials (e.g. concrete), acid mine drainage and associated metal pollution, biocorrosion of metals, alloys and related substances, and adverse effects on radionuclide speciation, mobility and containment, all with immense social and economic consequences. The ubiquity and importance of microbes in biosphere processes make geomicrobiology one of the most important concepts within microbiology, and one requiring an interdisciplinary approach to define environmental and applied significance and underpin exploitation in biotechnology. Microbes as geoactive agentsMicrobes interact with metals and minerals in natural and synthetic environments, altering their physical and chemical state, with metals and minerals also able to affect microbial growth, activity and survival. In addition, many minerals are biogenic in origin, and the formation of such biominerals is of global geological and industrial significance, as well as providing important structural components for many organisms, including important microbial groups such as diatoms, foraminifera and radiolaria (Ehrlich, 1996;Gadd & Raven, 2010). Geomicrobiology can simply be defined as the roles of microbes in geological processes (Banfield & Nealson, 1997;Banfield et al., 2005; Konhauser, 2007;Ehrlich & Newman, 2009). Metalminera...

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Section: Microbes Metals and Mineralsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Metals, minerals and microbes: geomicrobiology and bioremediation

2010

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“…In situ EXAFS and X‐ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy of copper speciation in electrokinetically remediated metal contaminated soil revealed that 50% of the copper was chelated by humic substances, 28% formed CuCO 3 and 22% formed Cu 2 O and CuO (Liu and Wang, 2004). Fungi can play a significant role in copper transformations (Fomina et al ., 2005a,b,c) and many soil fungi were able to withstand copper toxicity in heavily contaminated soils (500–11 500 mg Cu per kg soil) (Fomina et al ., 2005a). Nearly 60–70% of tested ericoid and ectomycorrhizal fungal cultures were able to grow in the presence of copper phosphate and cuprite with more than half of them being able to solubilize copper phosphate and over 40% of them solubilizing cuprite (Fomina et al ., 2005b).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fungi are a major component of the biota in soils and mineral substrates, and can be very tolerant to toxic metals: under certain environmental conditions (e.g. low pH, pronounced toxic metal pollution) they can become the dominant microbial group (Fomina et al ., 2005a). The involvement of fungi in mutualistic symbiotic associations with plants (mycorrhizas), algae and cyanobacteria (lichens) has major consequences for the biogeochemical cycling of elements (Gorbushina et al ., 1993; Smith and Read, 1997; Meharg and Cairney, 2000; Sterflinger, 2000; Gadd et al ., 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The involvement of fungi in mutualistic symbiotic associations with plants (mycorrhizas), algae and cyanobacteria (lichens) has major consequences for the biogeochemical cycling of elements (Gorbushina et al ., 1993; Smith and Read, 1997; Meharg and Cairney, 2000; Sterflinger, 2000; Gadd et al ., 2005). Free‐living and mycorrhizal fungi can be efficient biogeochemical agents and bioaccumulators of soluble and particulate forms of metals (Gadd, 1993; 2004; Burford et al ., 2003; Fomina et al ., 2004; 2005a,b). More than 95% of all land plants depend on symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi (Smith and Read, 1997) which make fungal biogeochemical activity of particular importance in any type of remediation of toxic metal polluted soils, whether physico‐chemical or biological.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) of toxic metal mineral transformations by fungi

Fomina

Charnock

Bowen

et al. 2006

Environmental Microbiology

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Fungi can be highly efficient biogeochemical agents and accumulators of soluble and particulate forms of metals. This work aims to understand some of the physico-chemical mechanisms involved in toxic metal transformations focusing on the speciation of metals accumulated by fungi and mycorrhizal associations. The amorphous state or poor crystallinity of metal complexes within biomass and relatively low metal concentrations make the determination of metal speciation in biological systems a challenging problem but this can be overcome by using synchrotron-based element-specific X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) techniques. In this research, we have exposed fungi and ectomycorrhizas to a variety of copper-, zinc- and lead-containing minerals. X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies revealed that oxygen ligands (phosphate, carboxylate) played a major role in toxic metal coordination within the fungal and ectomycorrhizal biomass during the accumulation of mobilized toxic metals. Coordination of toxic metals within biomass depended on the fungal species, initial mineral composition, the nitrogen source, and the physiological state/age of the fungal mycelium.

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Cellular Response to Cu‐ and Zn‐Induced Oxidative Stress in Aspergillus fumigatus Isolated From Polluted Soils in Bulgaria

Krumova

Kostadinova

Miteva‐Staleva

et al. 2016

CLEAN Soil Air Water

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The fungal strain Aspergillus fumigatus 3 2 isolated from the tailings pond at the copper mine "Vlaykov vruh," Bulgaria, showed high tolerance to Cu 2þ and Zn 2þ . This study was designed to explore the relationship between Cu 2þ and Zn 2þ tolerance and cellular response to oxidative stress. The model strain was identified to species level by morphological and molecular methods. Fungal cultures were exposed to enhanced concentrations of metal ions. The effect of Cu 2þ and Zn 2þ was evaluated by the changes in fungal growth and morphology, the level of oxidative stress biomarkers, and the antioxidant activities of enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Two different cellular responses occurred: The concentrations of up to 500 mg/mL caused enhanced levels of oxidative stress biomarkers (glycogen and trehalose accumulation and oxidatively damaged protein content), as well as an increase in SOD and CAT activities. The treatment with concentrations from 500 to 2000 mg/mL led to enhanced glycogen consumption, accelerated proteolysis, and a decrease in SOD and CAT activities. The present results provide additional information about the participation of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense in enhanced tolerance of fungi isolated from metal-polluted soils. Probably, survival at extremely high concentrations also requires the participation of other defense mechanisms. Furthermore, the enhanced understanding of these processes will provide essential tools for efficient remediation practices.

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Toxic Metals and Fungal Communities

Cited by 24 publications

References 149 publications

Metals, minerals and microbes: geomicrobiology and bioremediation

Metals, minerals and microbes: geomicrobiology and bioremediation

X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) of toxic metal mineral transformations by fungi

Cellular Response to Cu‐ and Zn‐Induced Oxidative Stress in Aspergillus fumigatus Isolated From Polluted Soils in Bulgaria

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