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Viana T, Colónia J, Tavares DS, Pinto J, Ferreira N, Jacinto J, Pereira E, Henriques B. Optimizing the Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from Spent Fluorescent Lamps by Living Ulva sp. ACS SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 2024; 1:1464-1474. [PMID: 39081539 PMCID: PMC11285805 DOI: 10.1021/acssusresmgt.4c00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Given the significant industrial applications of rare earth elements (REEs), supply chain constraints, and negative environmental impacts associated with their extraction, finding alternative sources has become a critical challenge. Previously, we highlighted the potential of living Ulva sp. in the removal and pre-concentration of Y from a solution obtained by sequential acid leaching of spent fluorescent lamps (SFLs). Here, we extended that study to other REEs extracted from SFLs and evaluated the effect of pH (4.5-9.0), light exposure (absence, natural and supplemented with artificial light), and Hg (presence and absence). The results showed small differences in the removal of Y (23-30%) and other REEs at the different pH values, opening the scope of the methodology. However, Ulva sp. relative growth rate (RGR) was negatively affected in the higher acidity condition, without any visible signs of decay. In the absence of light, the RGR also decreased, which was accompanied by a halving of the removal efficiency compared to that with artificial light supplementation (40% for Y). Although Hg had minimal influence on the removal and concentration of REEs by Ulva sp., its presence in the enriched biomass is undesirable. Therefore, this contaminant was selectively removed from the solution using Fe3O4@SiO2/SiDTC nanoparticles before contact with the macroalgae (70% removal in 30 min; 99% in 72 h). In addition to easy solubilization, macroalgae enriched with REEs have a simpler composition compared to SFLs. Calcination of the biomass allowed the REEs to be further concentrated, with concentrations (130 mg/g for Y) up to 240 times higher than in typical apatite ore. This highlights enriched biomass as a sustainable alternative to traditional mining for obtaining these critical raw materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thainara Viana
- LAQV-REQUIMTE
− Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, Department of
Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - João Colónia
- LAQV-REQUIMTE
− Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, Department of
Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Daniela S. Tavares
- LAQV-REQUIMTE
− Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, Department of
Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - João Pinto
- LAQV-REQUIMTE
− Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, Department of
Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Nicole Ferreira
- LAQV-REQUIMTE
− Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, Department of
Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
- CICECO
− Aveiro Institute of Materials, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Jéssica Jacinto
- LAQV-REQUIMTE
− Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, Department of
Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Eduarda Pereira
- LAQV-REQUIMTE
− Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, Department of
Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Bruno Henriques
- LAQV-REQUIMTE
− Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, Department of
Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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Csillag K, Emri T, Rangel DEN, Pócsi I. pH-dependent effect of Congo Red on the growth of Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus niger. Fungal Biol 2023; 127:1180-1186. [PMID: 37495307 DOI: 10.1016/j.funbio.2022.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The azo dye Congo Red (CR) is frequently used as an agent to elicit cell wall integrity stress in fungi. This highly toxic aromatic, heterocyclic compound contains two azo bonds as chromophore, which are responsible for protonation under acidic conditions, leading to changes in the molecular structure of the dye and the color of the solution. The investigation of how CR affects the growth of Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus niger on surface cultures provided us with evidence about its pH-dependent toxicity. Reducing the starting pH of the media from 7 to 3 decreased both the toxicity of CR and the dose-dependence of its toxicity substantially. These changes can be explained by the pH-dependent structural changes of CR and its precipitation at low pH. The pH also depended on the fungi; they could induce a decrease or even an increase, which could be important in the loss of dose-dependence. Our experiments led to the conclusion that in studies to evaluate the antifungal effect of CR, properly buffered solutions with pH values adjusted to above 5 are highly recommended to achieve a well-detectable and dose-dependent antifungal effect. However, for decolorization of CR solutions, lower pH is suggested where the decreased toxicity and solubility of CR could help this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Csillag
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary.
| | - Tamás Emri
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary.
| | | | - István Pócsi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary.
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Palanivel TM, Pracejus B, Novo LAB. Bioremediation of copper using indigenous fungi Aspergillus species isolated from an abandoned copper mine soil. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 314:137688. [PMID: 36584825 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Bioremediation of mining soils using metal tolerant fungi is widely considered as a promising cost-effective and ecofriendly approach. This study assessed the copper removal efficiency and bioaccumulation ability of the indigenous species Aspergillus hiratsukae LF1 and Aspergillus terreus LF2 isolated from the soils of an abandoned copper mine in Oman. Nutrient medium containing five different Cu (II) levels (0 - control, 100, 200, 300 and 500 mg/L) was employed for assessing both parameters. The removal efficiency from nutrient medium (100-500 mg Cu per L) ranged from 57% to 21% for A. hiratsukae LF1, and from 69% to 24% for A. terreus LF2. A. hiratsukae LF1 and A. terreus LF2 accumulated a maximum of 4.63 and 5.95 mg Cu/g,espectively, at 500 mg/L of Cu (II) concentration. The compositional analysis of extracellular polymeric substances excreted by both species revealed a hormetic response by A. hiratsukae LF1 at 100 mg/L; whereas increasing media Cu levels induced carbohydrates production in A. terreus LF2. These results hint at the involvement of carbohydrates in the Cu-tolerance mechanism of the latter. Copper accumulation in both species was further demonstrated through scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry. In line with the pertaining literature, our results are somewhat inconclusive concerning whether proteins or carbohydrates play a more pivotal role in copper complexation in both species; yet, FTIR analysis showed the participation of different functional groups in Cu sorption. Overall, although additional research is required to advance the knowledge about both Aspergillus species, our findings suggest that A. terreus LF2 presents greater promise for copper bioremediation due to enhanced tolerance and accumulation capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bernhard Pracejus
- Department of Earth Science, College of Science,Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 36, 123 Al-Khoud, Muscat, Oman
| | - Luís A B Novo
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Peter Wilson Building, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK.
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Harpke M, Pietschmann S, Ueberschaar N, Krüger T, Kniemeyer O, Brakhage AA, Nietzsche S, Kothe E. Salt and Metal Tolerance Involves Formation of Guttation Droplets in Species of the Aspergillus versicolor Complex. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13091631. [PMID: 36140799 PMCID: PMC9498632 DOI: 10.3390/genes13091631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Three strains of the Aspergillus versicolor complex were isolated from a salty marsh at a former uranium mining site in Thuringia, Germany. The strains from a metal-rich environment were not only highly salt tolerant (up to 20% NaCl), but at the same time could sustain elevated Cs and Sr (both up to 100 mM) concentrations as well as other (heavy) metals present in the environment. During growth experiments when screening for differential cell morphology, the occurrence of guttation droplets was observed, specifically when elevated Sr concentrations of 25 mM were present in the media. To analyze the potential of metal tolerance being promoted by these excretions, proteomics and metabolomics of guttation droplets were performed. Indeed, proteins involved in up-regulated metabolic activities as well as in stress responses were identified. The metabolome verified the presence of amino sugars, glucose homeostasis-regulating substances, abscisic acid and bioactive alkaloids, flavones and quinones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Harpke
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Neugasse 25, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Sebastian Pietschmann
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Neugasse 25, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Nico Ueberschaar
- Mass Spectrometry Platform, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstr. 8, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Krüger
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Adolf-Reichwein-St. 23, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Olaf Kniemeyer
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Adolf-Reichwein-St. 23, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Axel A. Brakhage
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Neugasse 25, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Department of Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Adolf-Reichwein-St. 23, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Sandor Nietzsche
- Elektronenmikroskopisches Zentrum, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Ziegelmühlenweg 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Erika Kothe
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Neugasse 25, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Correspondence:
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Traxler L, Shrestha J, Richter M, Krause K, Schäfer T, Kothe E. Metal adaptation and transport in hyphae of the wood-rot fungus Schizophyllum commune. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 425:127978. [PMID: 34896706 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Fungi living in heavy metals and radionuclides contaminated environments, namely the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone need to be able to cope with these pollutants. In this study, the wood-rot fungus Schizophyllum commune was investigated for its metal tolerance mechanisms, and for its ability to transport such metals through its hyphae. Effects of temperature and pH on tolerance of Cs, Sr, Cd, and Zn were tested. At concentrations allowing for half-maximal growth, adapted strains were raised. The strontium-adapted strain, S. commune 12-43 Sr, showed transport of specifically Sr over distances on a cm-scale using split plates. The adaptation did not yield changes in cell or colony morphology. Intracellular metal localization was not changed, and gene expression profiles under metal stress growing on soil versus artificial medium showed a higher impact of a structured surface for growth on soil than with different metal concentrations. In the transcriptome, transporter genes were mostly down-regulated, while up-regulation was seen for genes involved in the secretory pathway under metal stress. A comparison of wildtype and adapted strains could confirm lower cellular stress levels leading to lack of glutathione S-transferase up-regulation in the adapted strain. Thus, we could show metal transport as well as specific mechanisms in metal stress avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Traxler
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Neugasse 25, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Jenny Shrestha
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Neugasse 25, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Martin Richter
- Institute of Geosciences, Applied Geology, Friedrich Schiller University, Burgweg 11, 07749 Jena, Germany
| | - Katrin Krause
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Neugasse 25, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Thorsten Schäfer
- Institute of Geosciences, Applied Geology, Friedrich Schiller University, Burgweg 11, 07749 Jena, Germany
| | - Erika Kothe
- Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Neugasse 25, 07743 Jena, Germany.
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Jakab Á, Emri T, Csillag K, Szabó A, Nagy F, Baranyai E, Sajtos Z, Géczi D, Antal K, Kovács R, Szabó K, Dombrádi V, Pócsi I. The Negative Effect of Protein Phosphatase Z1 Deletion on the Oxidative Stress Tolerance of Candida albicans Is Synergistic with Betamethasone Exposure. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7070540. [PMID: 34356919 PMCID: PMC8305657 DOI: 10.3390/jof7070540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The glucocorticoid betamethasone (BM) has potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects; however, it increases the susceptibility of patients to superficial Candida infections. Previously we found that this disadvantageous side effect can be counteracted by menadione sodium bisulfite (MSB) induced oxidative stress treatment. The fungus specific protein phosphatase Z1 (CaPpz1) has a pivotal role in oxidative stress response of Candida albicans and was proposed as a potential antifungal drug target. The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of CaPPZ1 gene deletion and MSB treatment in BM pre-treated C. albicans cultures. We found that the combined treatment increased redox imbalance, enhanced the specific activities of antioxidant enzymes, and reduced the growth in cappz1 mutant (KO) strain. RNASeq data demonstrated that the presence of BM markedly elevated the number of differentially expressed genes in the MSB treated KO cultures. Accumulation of reactive oxygen species, increased iron content and fatty acid oxidation, as well as the inhibiting ergosterol biosynthesis and RNA metabolic processes explain, at least in part, the fungistatic effect caused by the combined stress exposure. We suggest that the synergism between MSB treatment and CaPpz1 inhibition could be considered in developing of a novel combinatorial antifungal strategy accompanying steroid therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ágnes Jakab
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.E.); (K.C.); (A.S.); (D.G.); (I.P.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Tamás Emri
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.E.); (K.C.); (A.S.); (D.G.); (I.P.)
| | - Kinga Csillag
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.E.); (K.C.); (A.S.); (D.G.); (I.P.)
| | - Anita Szabó
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.E.); (K.C.); (A.S.); (D.G.); (I.P.)
| | - Fruzsina Nagy
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (F.N.); (R.K.)
| | - Edina Baranyai
- Agilent Atomic Spectroscopy Partner Laboratory, Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (E.B.); (Z.S.)
| | - Zsófi Sajtos
- Agilent Atomic Spectroscopy Partner Laboratory, Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (E.B.); (Z.S.)
| | - Dóra Géczi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.E.); (K.C.); (A.S.); (D.G.); (I.P.)
| | - Károly Antal
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Eszterházy Károly University, 3300 Eger, Hungary;
| | - Renátó Kovács
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (F.N.); (R.K.)
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Krisztina Szabó
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (K.S.); (V.D.)
| | - Viktor Dombrádi
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (K.S.); (V.D.)
| | - István Pócsi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (T.E.); (K.C.); (A.S.); (D.G.); (I.P.)
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Emri T, Gila B, Antal K, Fekete F, Moon H, Yu JH, Pócsi I. AtfA-Independent Adaptation to the Toxic Heavy Metal Cadmium in Aspergillus nidulans. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9071433. [PMID: 34361869 PMCID: PMC8307709 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9071433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cadmium is an exceptionally toxic industrial and environmental pollutant classified as a human carcinogen. In order to provide insight into how we can keep our environment safe from cadmium contamination and prevent the accumulation of it in the food chain, we aim to elucidate how Aspergillus nidulans, one of the most abundant fungi in soil, survives and handles cadmium stress. As AtfA is the main transcription factor governing stress responses in A. nidulans, we examined genome-wide expression responses of wild-type and the atfA null mutant exposed to CdCl2. Both strains showed up-regulation of the crpA Cu2+/Cd2+ pump gene and AN7729 predicted to encode a putative bis(glutathionato)-cadmium transporter, and transcriptional changes associated with elevated intracellular Cys availability leading to the efficient adaptation to Cd2+. Although the deletion of atfA did not alter the cadmium tolerance of the fungus, the cadmium stress response of the mutant differed from that of a reference strain. Promoter and transcriptional analyses of the “Phospho-relay response regulator” genes suggest that the AtfA-dependent regulation of these genes can be relevant in this phenomenon. We concluded that the regulatory network of A. nidulans has a high flexibility allowing the fungus to adapt efficiently to stress both in the presence and absence of this important transcription factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Emri
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (B.G.); (F.F.); (I.P.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Barnabás Gila
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (B.G.); (F.F.); (I.P.)
- Doctoral School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Károly Antal
- Department of Zoology, Eszterházy Károly University, 3300 Eger, Hungary;
| | - Fanni Fekete
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (B.G.); (F.F.); (I.P.)
| | - Heungyun Moon
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (H.M.); (J.-H.Y.)
| | - Jae-Hyuk Yu
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (H.M.); (J.-H.Y.)
- Department of Systems Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, Korea
| | - István Pócsi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (B.G.); (F.F.); (I.P.)
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