Potential use of fungal-bacterial co-cultures for the removal of organic pollutants
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Date
2021-07
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Abstract
Fungi and bacteria coexist in a wide variety of natural and artificial environments which can lead to their association and interaction – ranging from antagonism to cooperation – that can affect the survival, colonization, spatial distribution and stress resistance of the interacting partners. The use of polymicrobial cultivation approaches has facilitated a more thorough understanding of microbial dynamics in mixed microbial communities, such as those composed of fungi and bacteria, and their influence on ecosystem functions. Mixed (multi-domain) microbial communities exhibit unique associations and interactions that could result in more efficient systems for the degradation and removal of organic pollutants. Several previous studies have reported enhanced biodegradation of certain pollutants when using combined fungal-bacterial treatments compared to pure cultures or communities of either fungi or bacteria (single domain systems). This article reviews: (i) the mechanisms of pollutant degradation that can occur in fungal-bacterial systems (e.g.: co-degradation, production of secondary metabolites, enhancement of degradative enzyme production, and transport of bacteria by fungal mycelia); (ii) case studies using fungal-bacterial co-cultures for the removal of various organic pollutants (synthetic dyes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, and other trace or volatile organic compounds) in different environmental matrices (e.g. water, gas/vapors, soil); (iii) the key aspects of engineering artificial fungal-bacterial co-cultures, and (iv) the current challenges and future perspectives of using fungal-bacterial co-cultures for environmental remediation.
Description
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Critical Reviews in Biotechnology on 2021-07-29, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/07388551.2021.1940831.
Keywords
bioremediation, bacteria, fungi, fungal-bacterial interactions, co-cultures, soil remediation, wastewater treatment, waste gas treatment
Citation
Erika J. Espinosa-Ortiz, Eldon R. Rene & Robin Gerlach (2022) Potential use of fungal-bacterial co-cultures for the removal of organic pollutants, Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, 42:3, 361-383, DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2021.1940831