Into the Unknown: Microbial Communities in Caves, Their Role, and Potential Use

Autor: Katarzyna Kosznik-Kwaśnicka, Piotr Golec, Weronika Jaroszewicz, Daria Lubomska, Lidia Piechowicz
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Microorganisms, Vol 10, Iss 2, p 222 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2076-2607
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10020222
Popis: Caves have been an item of amateur and professional exploration for many years. Research on the karst caves has revealed great diversity of bacteria, algae, and fungi living on stone walls and speleothems, in mud puddles or sediments. They have become the source of interest for various research groups including geologists, chemists, ecologists, or microbiologists. The adaptations of cave-dwelling organisms applied to their survival are complex and some of their properties show potential to be used in various areas of human life. Secondary metabolites produced by cave’s bacteria show strong antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, or anticancer properties. Furthermore, bacteria that can induce mineral precipitation could be used in the construction industry and for neutralization of radioisotopes. In this review we focus on bacteria and algae present in cave ecosystems, their role in shaping such specific environment, and their biotechnological and medical potential.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals