Record ID No. |
331 |
Author(s) |
Renshaw J.C., Halliday V., Robson G.D., Trinci A.P.J., Wiebe M.G., Livens F.R., Collison D., Taylor R.J. , 2003 |
Affiliation |
University of Manchester, Department of Chemistry, Center for Radiochemical Research, Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PT, Lancs, England |
Title |
Development and application of an assay for uranyl complexation by fungal metabolites, including siderophores |
Source. Vol.(no):Page |
Applied and environmental microbiology. 69(6): 3600-3606p. |
Categories |
Ectendo Mycorrhiza |
Subjects |
Methodology |
Host |
n.a. |
Organism |
n.a. |
Country |
United Kingdom., Europe |
Abstracts |
An assay to detect UO22+ complexation was developed based on the chrome azurol S (CAS) assay for siderophores (B. Schwyn and J. B. Neilands, Anal. Biochem. 160:47-56, 1987) and was used to investigate the ability of fungal metabolites to complex actinides. In this assay the discoloration of two dyed agars (one containing a CAS-Fe3+ dye and the other containing a CAS-UO22+ dye) caused by ligands was quantified. The assay was tested by using the siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFO), and the results showed that there was a regular, reproducible relationship between discoloration and the amount of siderophore added. The ratio of the discoloration on the CAS-UO22+ agar to the discoloration on the CAS-Fe3+ agar was independent of the amount of siderophore added. A total of 113 fungi and yeasts were isolated from three soil samples taken from the Peak District National Park. The fungi were screened for the production of UO22+ chelators by using the CAS-based assay and were also tested specifically for hydroxamate siderophore production by using the hydroxamate siderophore auxotroph Aureobacterium flavescens JG-9. This organism is highly sensitive to the presence of hydroxamate siderophores. However, the CAS-based assay was found to be less sensitive than the A.flavescens JG-9 assay. No significant difference between the results for each site for the two tests was found. Three isolates were selected for further study and were identified as two Pencillium species and a Mucor species. Our results show that the new assay can be effectively used to screen fungi for the production of UO22+ chelating ligands. We suggest that hydroxamate siderophores can be produced by mucoraceous fungi. |