Nanophase Fungal Steering of Iron Mineral Transformations for Oxidative Stress Removal and Iron Acquisition

This study shows that biogenic ferrihydrite nanoparticles are extensively formed at the interface between an actively growing fungus and an iron-containing mineral, hematite. These biogenic nanoparticles formed through the fungus-hematite interactions can behave as mimetic catalysts, similar to nanozymes that imitate peroxidase which scavenges hydrogen peroxide for the mitigation of potential cytotoxicity. This work raises new questions about the roles of biogenic nanomaterials in the coevolution of the lithosphere and biosphere, and provides a step towards understanding the feedback pathways controlling the evolution of biogenic mineral formation.