Fungi Can Fight Against Toxins

Micrograph of the mycelia-forming
soil microorganism Pythium ultimum
transporting the contaminant phe-
nanthrene in its hyphae: Overlay of
a light transmission and a fluorescence
micrograph of Pythium ultimum. The
hyphae contain phenanthrene-enriched
vesicles that fluoresce in blue (bar 
length: 5 micrometres). (Picture 
from: http://ec.europa.eu/)

Scientists from Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Germany revealed that the fungus has an important role in the ecosystem. They found the role of fungi that can fight toxins.

Most of the fungi that live in a symbiotic relationship, have a beneficial role. Fungi are also said to be harmful and sometimes their presence unknown function and its benefits.

Scientists also revealed that the fungus was able to form relationships and help related to bacterial contamination. Certain bacteria can maintain themselves on toxic chemicals and at the same time is able to change into harmless substances. The process is also said to be capable of restoring the land in a natural way.

However, bacteria do not always get food. "The problem is that the contamination was not able to reach the bacteria," said Luke Y Wick, UFZ researcher explains. Scientists have found that bacteria had trouble with substances that are not soluble in water. These include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are found in crude oil and coal.

For their study, the researchers used a pseudo-fungus called Pythium ultimum, which is widespread in the soil. This was placed on a central plate with nutrients, proceeding from which it could extend its hyphae to the right and left to two further sources of nourishment. The three nourishment stations were connected by rectangles of nourishment-free material. However, there were several gaps between the nourishment plates and rectangles containing only air. These were intended to simulate the air-filled pores in the ground.

Published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, this study was funded in part by the BIOGRID ('Biotechnology information and knowledge grid') project, which received almost EUR 835,000 under the Information Society Technologies (IST) Thematic area of the EU's Fifth Framework Programme (FP5).

The researchers hope that this effect can be utilised in future for the restoration of impacted ground. The targeted use of fungal networks could accelerate the degradation of PAHs and perhaps also of other substances virtually insoluble in water. 'But this may function only when one combines the right fungi and bacteria,' explained Dr Wick. Some types of these organisms are simply not compatible or even mutually inhibit each other. The UFZ researchers are now searching for the most suitable partners for their microbial contaminant eliminator team. *** [PHYORG | JAM | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 27092012]

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