Mechanistic aspects of biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles by several Fusarium oxysporum strains

• Published in: Journal of nanobiotechnology Vol. 3; no. 1; p. 8
• Main Authors: Durán, Nelson, Marcato, Priscyla D, Alves, Oswaldo L, Souza, Gabriel I H De, Esposito, Elisa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 13-07-2005; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Fusarium oxysporum
• ISSN: 1477-3155; 1477-3155
• DOI: 10.1186/1477-3155-3-8

Extracellular production of metal nanoparticles by several strains of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum was carried out. It was found that aqueous silver ions when exposed to several Fusarium oxysporum strains are reduced in solution, thereby leading to the formation of silver hydrosol. The silver nanoparticles were in the range of 20-50 nm in dimensions. The reduction of the metal ions occurs by a nitrate-dependent reductase and a shuttle quinone extracellular process. The potentialities of this nanotechnological design based in fugal biosynthesis of nanoparticles for several technical applications are important, including their high potential as antibacterial material.