1 research outputs found
Mycelia Promote Active Transport and Spatial Dispersion of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
To cope with heterogeneous subsurface environments mycelial
microorganisms
have developed a unique ramified growth form. By extending hyphae,
they can obtain nutrients from remote places and transport them even
through air gaps and in small pore spaces, repectively. To date, studies
have been focusing on the role that networks play in
the distribution of nutrients. Here, we investigated the role of mycelia
for the translocation of nonessential substances, using polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as model compounds. We show that the
hyphae of the mycelial soil oomycete <i>Pythium ultimum</i> function as active translocation vectors for a wide range of PAHs.
Visualization by two-photon excitation microscopy (TPEM) demonstrated
the uptake and accumulation of phenanthrene (PHE) in lipid vesicles
and its active transport by cytoplasmic streaming of the hyphae (‘hyphal
pipelines’). In mycelial networks, contaminants were translocated
over larger distances than by diffusion. Given their transport capacity
and ubiquity, hyphae may substantially distribute remote hydrophobic
contaminants in soil, thereby improving their bioavailability to bacterial
degradation. Hyphal contaminant dispersal may provide an untapped
potential for future bioremediation approaches