Fungi Can Help Clean up Our Environment

           

By: Nestor Lara

Different levels of activity can be seen in various proteins in two species of fungi while growing in two types of soil. The light bar demonstrates the activity of proteins in non-contaminated soils, and the dark bar shows the activity of proteins in DDT-contaminated soils. There was an increase of SOD protein activity for T. hamatum in DDT-contaminated soil. There was an increase in CAT protein activity for R. arrhizus in DDT-contaminated soil. There was an increase in POX and GST protein activity in both species for DDT-contaminated soils. (Source: aem.asm.org)

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) has been used as an insecticide to control vectors and pests that are capable of spreading human disease. DDT is banned in developed countries due to its persistence in the environment. Constant exposure to DDT can cause cancer and disrupt hormonal balance, so finding a way to degrade DDT is essential. A pollutant like DDT can serve as an energy source for microbes such as fungi, which have been known to degrade toxic organic compounds into harmless molecules. A study executed in Poland has shown that two different species of fungi, Trichoderma hamatum and Rhizopus arrhizus, are capable of degrading organic molecules in the presence of DDT, which demonstrates an evident tolerance to DDT. These results imply that these microbes could potentially be used to degrade DDT.  These species of fungi have degraded organic compounds similar in structure to DDT in environments contaminated with DDT, which indicate that their degradative activity is still present. These species also increase the activity of specific proteins, which help them deal with the chemical stresses presented by DDT. For these reasons, it is predicted these species can be used to degrade DDT, which is more environment-friendly and cost-effective than using chemicals.

Article Citation: Fabiana R, Andrea C, Flavia P, Antonietta S, Marco G, Eligio M, et al. (2019).  Bioremediation of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)-contaminated agricultural soils: potential of two autochthonous saprotrophic fungal strains. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 85.