Radiotrophic fungus

As radiotrophe mushrooms is a series of fungi with hefenartigem growth. All these fungi have melanin as a pigment and are referred to as radiotroph because they are actively growing on radiation sources.

Occurrence

Melanin is produced to extreme environmental conditions of fungi to adapt. So melanisierte fungal hyphae found in Arctic and Antarctic frost areas as well as in soil layers with increased radioactivity. Melanin also plays a role in the pathogenicity of many pathogens, such as Cryptococcus neoformans, or Aspergillus fumigatus. The oxygen radicals produced by the immune system to act as oxidizing agents, melanin acts as a redox buffer, and can neutralize them thus. By binding of doubly positively charged iron ions [Fe (II ) ] on the melanin this effect can be enhanced.

In 4 reactor that exploded at Chernobyl, one finds a large population of melanin-containing fungi Cryptococcus neoformans and Wangiella dermatitidis. Under the influence of radioactivity, these show an increased metabolic activity.