Saprotrophic soil fungus dissolves lithium lepidolite through inositol rescue metabolism
Sandra A. LaBonte, C. S. Perdue, Thomas Wietsma, Vanessa Paurus, Young‐Mo Kim, Hsin-Mei Kao, Zihua Zhu, Erin Nuccio, Jennifer Pett‐Ridge, Mary S. Weir Lipton, Arunima Bhattacharjee
This study shows a soil fungus alters its metabolism to dissolve lithium ore, releasing soluble lithium, and suggests similar strategies may occur in natural microbial communities.
bioRxiv · Jul 29, 2026 · PreprintMicrobiology