Fungal-Mineral Interaction: Astrobiology Insights from Iron-Rich Mineral Alteration by an Extremophile Black Fungus.

ABSTRACT: Iron-rich minerals, such as hematite (α-Fe₂O₃), are prominent constituents of the Martian surface; they are considered to be potential indicators of past aqueous activity and habitability. This study investigated the interaction between the extremophilic black fungus Rhinocladiella similis LaBioMMi 1217 and hematite under simulated laboratory conditions on Mars, focusing on redox-mediated dissolution processes, metabolic adaptations, and biosignature formation. The fungus was cultivated with powdered and polished hematite substrates, and mineral alteration was monitored through physicochemical measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Genome mining was performed to identify and map genes involved in iron metabolism. The metabolic profile of the fungu

SUBMITTER: Dos Santos A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12848704 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature