Emergent Properties of Fungi Exposed to Long-Term Radiation: Fungal Ecophysiology

长期辐射下真菌的新特性：真菌生态生理学

• 批准号: 0134795
• 负责人: John Dighton
• 金额: $ 8万
• 依托单位: Rutgers University New Brunswick
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-01-15 至 2003-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0134795&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Emergent; Properties; Fungi; Exposed; Long

As a result of the extreme exposure to radiation at the site of the former Chernobyl Atomic Electric Station, changes in the community composition of soil fungi have been identified. Some of these fungi have been shown to be able to decompose some of the carbon based radioactive materials from the fuel rods and from contaminated roof material. One of the properties that has been found in these fungi is that isolates from the Chernobyl area appear to show 'positive radiotropism'. These fungi appear to have evolved an ability to recognize radioactivity, the direction of the source and then grow towards the source. This ability does not seem to have evolved in isolates of the same fungal species isolated at a distance from Chernobyl.Our proposal is to further investigate the mechanics of this 'radiotropism'. We wish to identify the nature of the radioactive cues that elicit a response in the fungi and will use a range of radioactive sources (a, b, g, mixed bg, neutron and X-ray) at a range of doses to determine which type and dose of radioactivity these fungi respond to. We will also initiate investigations of the underlying biochemical changes that may be triggered to cause the growth changes in these 'adapted' fungi.The work has ecological and environmental significance in that, if we can show that fungi can respond to radioactive cues, grow towards sources of radioactivity, which they can then decompose, this may be a potential bioremediation tool that could be used in contaminant remediation.

由于前切尔诺贝利原子能发电站遗址极端暴露于辐射，已查明土壤真菌群落组成的变化。其中一些真菌已被证明能够分解燃料棒和受污染的屋顶材料中的一些碳基放射性物质。在这些真菌中发现的特性之一是，从切尔诺贝利地区分离出来的菌株似乎显示出“正向辐射”。这些真菌似乎已经进化出一种识别放射性的能力，即来源的方向，然后朝着来源生长。这种能力似乎没有在与切尔诺贝利相隔一段距离的同一真菌物种的分离株中进化。我们的建议是进一步研究这种“辐射趋向性”的机制。我们希望确定在真菌中引起反应的放射性线索的性质，并将在一定剂量范围内使用一系列放射源(a、b、g、混合的bg、中子和X射线)来确定这些真菌对哪种类型和剂量的放射性做出反应。我们还将开始调查可能引发的潜在生化变化，以导致这些“适应”的真菌的生长变化。这项工作具有生态和环境意义，因为如果我们能够证明真菌可以对放射性线索做出反应，朝着放射性来源生长，然后它们可以分解，这可能是一种潜在的生物修复工具，可以用于污染修复。