Why are some microorganisms boring?

Cockell, Charles S.; Herrera, Aude

doi:10.1016/j.tim.2007.12.007

Cited by 81 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Cox et al, 1989;Cunningham et al, 1995;Jones, 2011). Conversely, bacterial activity is also an important factor in controlling bio-erosion in caves (Viles, 1984;Northup and Lavoie, 2001;Naylor et al, 2002;Cockell and Herrera, 2008). These two competing effects can occur simultaneously.…”

Section: The Mechanism Of Formation Of Oahsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Caves in caves: evolution of post-depositional macroholes in stalagmites

Shtober‐Zisu¹,

Schwarcz²,

Chow³

et al. 2014

IJS

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Section: The Mechanism Of Formation Of Oahsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Caves in caves: evolution of post-depositional macroholes in stalagmites

Shtober‐Zisu¹,

Schwarcz²,

Chow³

et al. 2014

IJS

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“…They also represent a pest of commercial relevance for bivalve aquaculture (7). Despite their environmental relevance, the mechanism that enables them to dissolve carbonates, even in waters supersaturated with respect to calcite and aragonite, has remained elusive (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13). It is in fact a geochemical paradox subject to speculation, in that cyanobacterial autotrophy will tend to increase pH and precipitate carbonates, not dissolve them (10).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial excavation of solid carbonates powered by P-type ATPase-mediated transcellular Ca ²⁺ transport

García-Pichel

Ramírez-Reinat

Gao

2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

104

106

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Some microbes, among them a few species of cyanobacteria, are able to excavate carbonate minerals, from limestone to biogenic carbonates, including coral reefs, in a bioerosive activity that directly links biological and geological parts of the global carbon cycle. The physiological mechanisms that enable such endolithic cyanobacteria to bore, however, remain unknown. In fact, their boring constitutes a geochemical paradox, in that photoautotrophic metabolism will tend to precipitate carbonates, not dissolve them. We developed a stable microbe/mineral boring system based on a cyanobacterial isolate, strain BC008, with which to study the process of microbial excavation directly in the laboratory. Measurements of boring into calcite under different light regimes, and an analysis of photopigment content and photosynthetic rates along boring filaments, helped us reject mechanisms based on the spatial or temporal separation of alkali versus Acid-generating metabolism (i.e., photosynthesis and respiration). Instead, extracellular Ca 2+ imaging of boring cultures in vivo showed that BC008 was able to take up Ca 2+ at the excavation front, decreasing the local extracellular ion activity product of calcium carbonate enough to promote spontaneous dissolution there. Intracellular Ca 2+ was then transported away along the multicellular cyanobacterial trichomes and excreted at the distal borehole opening into the external medium. Inhibition assays and gene expression analyses indicate that the uptake and transport was driven by P-type Ca 2+ -ATPases. We believe such a chemically simple and biologically sophisticated mechanism for boring to be unparalleled among bacteria.bioerosion | calcium metabolism | endoliths | microbialites

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“…This growth habit confers a high degree of resistance to environmental stress (Gorbushina 2007). Fungi, including lichens, can be epilithic (surface dwellers) and/or endolithic (interior dwellers) with cryptoendoliths occupying structural cavities, chasmoendoliths inhabiting fissures and cracks and euendolithic forms capable of active rock penetration (Cockell and Herrera 2008; Wierzchos et al 2012). These terms are also used for other rock-inhabiting microorganisms although there may be many overlaps, even for a given species.…”

Section: Characteristics Of Rock Transforming Fungimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is some debate as to the relative significance of fungal boring or tunnelling as compared to penetration through pores and points of weakness. However, it would seem unusual if fungi were not capable of direct boring, a feature found in many groups of microorganisms (Cockell and Herrera 2008). Fungi possess the properties of filamentous apical growth, cell turgor pressure and the ability to dissolve minerals that make it possible for fungi develop such a pattern of growth.…”

Section: The Specific Ecological Roles Of Scleractinian Corals On Cormentioning

confidence: 99%

The roles of endolithic fungi in bioerosion and disease in marine ecosystems. I. General concepts

et al. 2017

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Endolithic true fungi and fungus-like microorganisms penetrate calcareous substrates formed by living organisms, cause significant bioerosion and are involved in diseases of many host animals in marine ecosystems. A theoretical interactive model for the ecology of reef-building corals is proposed in this review. This model includes five principle partners that exist in a dynamic equilibrium: polyps of a colonial coelenterate, endosymbiotic zooxanthellae, endolithic algae (that penetrate coral skeletons), endolithic fungi (that attack the endolithic algae, the zooxanthellae and the polyps) and prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms (which live in the coral mucus). Endolithic fungi and fungus-like boring microorganisms are important components of the marine calcium carbonate cycle because they actively contribute to the biodegradation of shells of animals composed of calcium carbonate and calcareous geological substrates.

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Why are some microorganisms boring?

Cited by 81 publications

References 39 publications

Caves in caves: evolution of post-depositional macroholes in stalagmites

Caves in caves: evolution of post-depositional macroholes in stalagmites

Microbial excavation of solid carbonates powered by P-type ATPase-mediated transcellular Ca ²⁺ transport

The roles of endolithic fungi in bioerosion and disease in marine ecosystems. I. General concepts

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Why are some microorganisms boring?

Cited by 81 publications

References 39 publications

Caves in caves: evolution of post-depositional macroholes in stalagmites

Caves in caves: evolution of post-depositional macroholes in stalagmites

Microbial excavation of solid carbonates powered by P-type ATPase-mediated transcellular Ca 2+ transport

The roles of endolithic fungi in bioerosion and disease in marine ecosystems. I. General concepts

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Microbial excavation of solid carbonates powered by P-type ATPase-mediated transcellular Ca ²⁺ transport