by Elio
The Chernobyl reactor encased in cement. It is said that it will remain radioactive for some 100,000 years.
One of the most breathtaking reports in this blog has been the finding that ionizing radiation stimulates the growth of some fungi, such as those found in the encased Chernobyl reactor. A recent review in FEMS Microbiology Letters expands on this phenomenon and surveys considerably more data. Here you can read about how fungi accumulate some radionuclides and resist powerful jolts of ionizing radiation. You can also learn about their amazing ability to grow their hyphae towards the radiation source and flourish better as the result. In toto, this is an example of the stunning ability of living things to hack it in even the most atrocious of environments. But the point is not just academic. The authors say: Using this recently acquired knowledge, we may be in a better position to suggest the use of fungi in bioremediation of radioactively contaminated sites and cleanup of industrial effluent.
SMC,
I share at least some of your anger and frustration here. For years, as an individual interested in biological research but without institutional affiliation, I, too, ran into one paywall after another. The open access movement is gaining ground, but I wish it were moving faster.
Meanwhile, back at the radiated melanin: a quote from that pay-to-view review article...
When exposed to ionizing radiation, hyphal extension rates are enhanced in fungi isolated from radioactively contaminated areas (Tugay et al., 2006a; Fig. 2). The mechanism of this action has been demonstrated in Cryptococcus neoformans to be related to the ability of melanized forms to facilitate electron transfer to elicit coupled oxidation of NADPH and reduction of ferricyanide (Dadachova et al., 2007).
Best news --- that referenced Dadachova article is open access!
Dadachova E, Bryan R, Huang X,Moadel T, Schweitzer AD, Aisen P, Nosanchuk JD & Casadevall A (2007) Ionizing radiation changes the electronic properties of melanin and enhances the growth of melanized fungi. PLoS ONE 2: e457. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0000457.
Merry
Posted by: Merry | May 17, 2008 at 10:32 PM