Abstract
Caves have been an item of amateur and professional exploration for many years. Research on the karst caves has revealed great diversity of bacteria, algae, and fungi living on stone walls and speleothems, in mud puddles or sediments. They have become the source of interest for various research groups including geologists, chemists, ecologists, or microbiologists. The adaptations of cave-dwelling organisms applied to their survival are complex and some of their properties show potential to be used in various areas of human life. Secondary metabolites produced by cave’s bacteria show strong antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, or anticancer properties. Furthermore, bacteria that can induce mineral precipitation could be used in the construction industry and for neutralization of radioisotopes. In this review we focus on bacteria and algae present in cave ecosystems, their role in shaping such specific environment, and their biotechnological and medical potential.
Highlights
There are a large number of caves on Earth
This review focuses on knowledge about the properties of cave microorganisms obtained in recent years, the role they play in cave ecosystems, and their biotechnological and medical potential
The adaptations cave-dwelling organisms have applied to survive are complex, from multi-species biofilms that are able to function as closed, tiny ecosystems, through rock dissolution, to complex metabolic pathways, that utilize every element available
Summary
There are a large number of caves on Earth. They have been used by both animals and humans for a long time for a variety of reasons. Stable conditions of deep dark cave zones, specific to given caves, have resulted in the formation of closed, self-dependent ecosystems [6,7]. The studies on those ecosystems have revealed an abundance of various life forms, some of them never seen before. The interest in these life forms, especially microorganisms, has resulted in the discovery of new bacterial species and compounds. This review focuses on knowledge about the properties of cave microorganisms (bacteria and algae) obtained in recent years, the role they play in cave ecosystems, and their biotechnological and medical potential
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
