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Updated: Jun 6, 2025
Microfluidic Tools for Probing Fungal-Microbial Interactions at the Cellular Level
Published on: June 23, 2022
Hydrophobins from Aspergillus mediate fungal interactions with microplastics
Ross R Klauer1, Rachel Silvestri1, Hanna White1
1Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, 150 Academy St., Newark, DE 19716.
Abstract:
Microplastics present myriad ecological and human health risks including serving as a vector for pathogens in human and animal food chains. However, the specific mechanisms by which pathogenic fungi colonize these microplastics have yet to be explored. In this work, we examine the opportunistic fungal pathogen, Aspergillus fumigatus, and other common soil and marine Aspergilli, which we found bind microplastics tightly. Up to 3.85+/- 1.48 g microplastic plastic/g fungi were bound and flocculated for polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) powders and particles ranging in size from 0.05 - 5 mm. Gene knockouts revealed hydrophobins as a key biomolecule driving microplastic-fungi binding. Moreover, purified hydrophobins were still able to flocculate microplastics independent of the fungus. Our work elucidates a role for hydrophobins in fungal colonization of microplastics and highlights a potential target for mitigating the harm of microplastics through engineered fungal-microplastic interactions.
Insights
Fungi like Aspergillus fumigatus bind tightly to microplastics. Hydrophobins, fungal proteins, drive this interaction, offering a target to mitigate microplastic risks.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Mycology
- Materials science
Background:
- Microplastics pose ecological and health risks, potentially acting as pathogen vectors.
- The mechanisms of fungal colonization on microplastics are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the binding mechanisms between common soil and marine fungi, including Aspergillus fumigatus, and microplastics.
- To identify key fungal biomolecules involved in microplastic colonization.
Main Methods:
- Studied the binding of Aspergillus species to polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics.
- Quantified microplastic-fungi binding and flocculation.
- Utilized gene knockouts to identify critical biomolecules.
- Tested purified hydrophobins for their ability to interact with microplastics.
Main Results:
- Significant binding and flocculation of microplastics by fungi were observed (up to 3.85 g plastic/g fungi).
- Hydrophobins were identified as a key biomolecule mediating fungal-microplastic binding.
- Purified hydrophobins alone could flocculate microplastics, independent of fungal cells.
Conclusions:
- Hydrophobins play a crucial role in the colonization of microplastics by fungi.
- This finding provides a potential target for engineered solutions to mitigate microplastic-associated risks.
