Fungi: The Assorted Bio-Remediators

The most widely used eukaryotic model organism fungi, with its simple yet specialized organismal structure, possess the biochemical ability to degrade pollutants, therefore being of economic importance. Its bioremediation capacity is attributed to either its chemical modification mechanisms or influential bioavailability, with effects of degradation on metals, metalloids, as well as highly toxic radionuclides. Fungi form mycelial network extensions, their catabolic enzymes having low specificity, and can hence independently use pollutants as a substrate for growth. These features make fungi best suited for the process of bioremediation. However, fungi have been under-exploited for environmental bioremediation in spite of them being present as dominating creatures in the soil-living biomass and abundance in aqueous systems. Yeasts are very efficient in degrading wastes and can be easily engineered for targeted features. In this review, we will briefly discuss some of the potential “mycoremediation” techniques.