Agrawal Shivankar, Khumlianlal Joshua, Devi Sarangthem Indira
Department of Phytochemistry, ICMR-National Institute of Traditional Medicine, Belagavi 590010, India.
Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (Department of Biotechnology, Government of India), Imphal 795001, India.
Life (Basel). 2023 Dec 24;14(1):28. doi: 10.3390/life14010028.
The Badami Caves are a significant example of ancient Indian rock-cut architecture, dating back to the 6th century. These caves are situated in the Malaprabha River valley and are part of the candidate UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Evolution of Temple Architecture-Aihole-Badami-Pattadakal", which is considered to be the cradle of temple architecture in India. Our study aimed to investigate the diversity, distribution, and biodeterioration phenomena of the fungal communities present on the cave surfaces. The study also conducted a comprehensive analysis of fungal biodeterioration on the cave carvings. Utilizing specialized techniques, the dissolution of calcite, alterations in pH levels, and biomineralization capabilities of isolated fungal strains were monitored. Additionally, this study analyzed fungal acid production using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Our findings revealed that the major genera of fungi found on the cave surfaces included , , , , and . These isolated fungi were observed to produce acids, leading to the dissolution of calcium carbonate and subsequent decrease in pH values. Notably, the dominant genus responsible for acid production and the promotion of biomineralization was . These discoveries provide valuable insight into the ecology and functions of fungi inhabiting stone surfaces, contributing to our understanding of how to preserve and protect sculptures from biodeterioration.
巴达米石窟是古印度岩凿建筑的一个重要典范，可追溯至6世纪。这些石窟位于马拉普拉巴河谷，是被联合国教科文组织列为世界遗产候选地的“寺庙建筑的演变——艾霍莱-巴达米-帕塔达卡尔”的一部分，该候选地被认为是印度寺庙建筑的摇篮。我们的研究旨在调查洞穴表面存在的真菌群落的多样性、分布和生物劣化现象。该研究还对洞穴雕刻上的真菌生物劣化进行了全面分析。利用专业技术，监测了方解石的溶解、pH值的变化以及分离出的真菌菌株的生物矿化能力。此外，本研究使用高效液相色谱法（HPLC）分析了真菌产酸情况。我们的研究结果表明，在洞穴表面发现的主要真菌属包括 、 、 、 和 。观察到这些分离出的真菌会产酸，导致碳酸钙溶解，随后pH值下降。值得注意的是，负责产酸和促进生物矿化的优势属是 。这些发现为栖息在石头表面的真菌的生态和功能提供了有价值的见解，有助于我们理解如何保护雕塑免受生物劣化。
