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Harnessing pycnidia-forming fungi for eco-friendly nanoparticle production, applications, and limitations

Summary

Certain fungi called pycnidial fungi can create tiny particles called nanoparticles that are useful in medicine, agriculture, and environmental cleanup. These fungi naturally produce chemicals and enzymes that reduce metal ions into nanoparticles, which have antimicrobial and cancer-fighting properties. While this biological approach is more environmentally friendly than chemical methods, scientists still need to solve challenges like making it work at large scales and ensuring the nanoparticles are safe and stable.

Background

Nanotechnology has wide applications in medicine, agriculture, environment, and catalysis. Mycosynthesis using fungi offers an eco-friendly alternative to chemical and physical methods of nanoparticle synthesis. Pycnidial fungi, including genera such as Phoma, Phyllosticta, Phomopsis, and Macrophomina, have been identified as prolific producers of nanoparticles.

Objective

This review examines the mechanisms of nanoparticle synthesis by pycnidial fungi, explores the various types of nanoparticles they produce, and discusses their applications in medicine, environment, industry, and agriculture. The review also addresses critical challenges and limitations in nanoparticle synthesis by these fungi.

Results

Pycnidial fungi synthesize various nanoparticles including silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and quantum dots through mechanisms involving metal ion uptake, nucleation, reduction by fungal enzymes and metabolites, and stabilization by capping molecules. These nanoparticles demonstrate antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, and catalytic properties with applications across biomedical, environmental, industrial, and agricultural sectors.

Conclusion

Pycnidial fungi represent a promising biogenic source for nanoparticle production offering eco-friendly advantages over chemical methods. However, challenges in scalability, reproducibility, stability, and toxicity must be addressed through metabolic engineering, standardized protocols, and comprehensive risk assessment frameworks before commercial application.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Microbiology,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: PMID: 40822388, PMCID: PMC12352327, doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1603728
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