Radiotrophic Fungi - From Chernobyl to Mars..

Chernobyl accident, one of the major nuclear accidents in the human history occurred on April 26th 1986. An explosion in the reactor 4 in Chernobyl power plant (USSR) released a huge amount of radioactivity to the environment contaminating 160,000 square kilometers. Two hundred and three people were hospitalized and 31 died eventually It caused more than 200,000 indirect deaths.

Impacts of the accident

• International spread of radioactivity
• Residual radioactivity in the environment
• Impact on fauna and vegetation
• Health effects

However in this hard to survive high radiation zone a new form of life was evolving. In 1991, Nelli Zhdanova and her research team at Institute of Microbiology and Virology in Kiev, Ukraine collected samples with robots and they discovered a dramatic growth of fungi on the walls of the damaged reactor and the soil surrounding it. Group identified around 200 fungal species and most contained a higher expression of melanin which gives fungi its dark colour. Fungi closest to the reactor were dark black, and farther away they got, the lower the levels became. Zhdanova’s work inspired a research group at Albert Einstein College of Medicine to investigate further They exposed fungi to radiation levels 500 times greater than the background radiation and melanized fungi grew 3 times faster.

“Just as the pigment chlorophyll converts sunlight into chemical energy that allows green plants to live and grow, our research suggests that melanin can use a different portion of the electromagnetic spectrum – ionizing radiation – to benefit the fungi containing it,” - Ekaterina Dadachova

In July 2016 , eight species of the Chernobyl fungi were launched in to space to observe the changes in gene expression in radiation rich extreme environments. Kasthuri Venkateswaran, space biologist at NASA jet propulsion laboratory and Prof. C Wang which are conducting the above research hope that they will be able to develop a sunblock for astronauts

Why it is the Panacea?

Radiotrophic fungi can be a solution to many questions scientists are struggling to find answers to.

• Drug development

“Microorganisms only make certain things when they need to” - Prof. Clay Wang

Fungi make secondary metobolites which can be turned into medication eg:Penicillin,Lovastatin,Cyclosporin 

An untold number of metabolites are hidden unexpressed in fungus genome and discovering them requires a stressful environment. Using radiotrophic fungus it is possible to produce radioprotective drugs.

• A sustainable solution for nuclear waste management

Radioactive waste is one of the major problems in nuclear industry. Radiotrophic fungus can be used to absorb the radiation in waste

• Long duration human space missions

Universe is brimming with high energy radiation in the form of cosmic rays. Earths magnetic field and atmosphere protects us from most of the cosmic rays. In space astronauts are constantly exposed to this cosmic radiation which can cause mutations that can lead to cancer.With more research scientists will be able to develop ‘sunblocks’ which protects astronauts from cosmic radiation.

• Interplanetary Colonization

More research on radiotrophic fungus will lead scientists to develop crops that can thrive in extreme radiation rich environments such as Mars.

In conclusion,

The WORST accident in human history will lead the humanity to its GREATEST achievement !!!