Mycotransformation of organic and inorganic substrates

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mycotransformation of organic and inorganic substrates

AU - Gadd, Geoffrey M.

N1 - Funding Information: The author gratefully acknowledges research support from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council, the Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh, and British Nuclear Fuels plc. The advances made by past and current members of my own group, notably Jacqueline Sayer, Mohammed Gharieb, Marina Fomina, Euan Burford, and the late Christopher White, are also gratefully acknowledged.

PY - 2004/5

Y1 - 2004/5

N2 - This article outlines the important biogeochemical roles that fungi play in the degradation, utilization and transformation of organic and inorganic substrates. Fungal populations are intimately involved in element cycling at local and global scales and such processes have major implications for living organisms, notably plant productivity and human health. While most attention has focussed on carbon cycling, the involvement of fungi in most other elemental cycles is emphasised. Some fungal transformations have applications in environmental biotechnology, e.g. in metal leaching, recovery and detoxification, xenobiotic and organic pollutant degradation, as well as result in adverse effects when these mechanisms are involved in degradation of foodstuffs, natural products and building materials. This account highlights the interdisciplinary approach that is necessary to further understanding of the important roles that fungi play in the biogeochemical cycling of elements, the chemical and biological mechanisms that are involved, and their biotechnological significance.

AB - This article outlines the important biogeochemical roles that fungi play in the degradation, utilization and transformation of organic and inorganic substrates. Fungal populations are intimately involved in element cycling at local and global scales and such processes have major implications for living organisms, notably plant productivity and human health. While most attention has focussed on carbon cycling, the involvement of fungi in most other elemental cycles is emphasised. Some fungal transformations have applications in environmental biotechnology, e.g. in metal leaching, recovery and detoxification, xenobiotic and organic pollutant degradation, as well as result in adverse effects when these mechanisms are involved in degradation of foodstuffs, natural products and building materials. This account highlights the interdisciplinary approach that is necessary to further understanding of the important roles that fungi play in the biogeochemical cycling of elements, the chemical and biological mechanisms that are involved, and their biotechnological significance.

KW - Biogeochemistry

KW - Degradation

KW - Fungi

KW - Metalloids

KW - Metals

KW - Minerals

KW - Transformation

KW - Xenobiotics

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/3843084877

U2 - 10.1017/S0269915X04002022

DO - 10.1017/S0269915X04002022

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:3843084877

SN - 0269-915X

VL - 18

SP - 60

EP - 70

JO - Mycologist

JF - Mycologist

IS - 2

ER -