Influence of vanadium on the growth and metabolism of Coprinellus truncorum fungal mycelium

Abstract

Fungi could absorb heavy metals, metalloids, or radionuclides, thus fungal species possess great potential in bioremediation. Since fungi absorb the vanadium, in the present study ability of Coprinellus truncorum mycelia for vanadate uptake and its intracellular metabolism were investigated. The submerged cultivated C. truncorum was exposed to a rising concentration of vanadate. 31P NMR spectroscopy was used to investigate phosphate metabolism of the mycelium, while the status of vanadium in the cell was followed by 51V NMR spectroscopy. The mycelium could grow, and overcome vanadate presence, up to the concentration of 1.6 mM in the submerged medium. 31P NMR measurements pointed out that vanadate induced changes in the concentration of the crucial metabolite containing phosphorus, particularly sugar phosphates. The major result of vanadate action is evinced through an appearance of a signal positioned at around 2.8 ppm, and an increased signal of hexose- phosphates. Using 51V NMR spectroscopy the presence of vanadate monomer in the mycelia of the fungal cell was confirmed.