Fungal Cell Factories for Efficient and Sustainable Production of Proteins and Peptides

Abstract

Filamentous fungi are a large and diverse taxonomically group of microorganisms found in all habitats worldwide. They grow as a network of cells called hyphae. Since filamentous fungi live in very diverse habitats, they produce different enzymes to degrade material for their living, for example hydrolytic enzymes to degrade various kinds of biomasses. Moreover, they produce defense proteins (antimicrobial peptides) and proteins for attaching surfaces (hydrophobins). Many of them are easy to cultivate in different known setups (submerged fermentation and solid-state fermentation) and their secretion of proteins and enzymes are often much larger than what is seen from yeast and bacteria. Therefore, filamentous fungi are in many industries the preferred production hosts of different proteins and enzymes. Edible fungi have traditionally been used as food, such as mushrooms or in fermented foods. New trends are to use edible fungi to produce myco-protein enriched foods. This review gives an overview of the different kinds of proteins, enzymes, and peptides produced by the most well-known fungi used as cell factories for different purposes and applications. Moreover, we describe some of the challenges that are important to consider when filamentous fungi are optimized as efficient cell factories.

Enhancement of pigment and proximate values of intergeneric hybrid of protoplast fusion of Monascus ruber and Pleurotus ostreatus

“…Filamentous fungi rely on external carbon sources because they are heterotrophic, but many can absorb inorganic nitrogen and other nutrients for growth and metabolism. They can make all the necessary amino acids from inorganic nitrogen [29]. Many protoplast isolation studies indicated that 0.6 M KCl acts as the best osmotic stabilizer [15,18].…”

Quality Aspects Related to Meat Analogue Based on Microbiology, Plants and Insects Protein

“…Mycoprotein Quorn contains protein (45%), fiber (25%), fat (13%) and carbohydrates (10%) in 100 grams of dry weight [15]. Numerous fungi that could produce mycoproteins include Rhizopus oligosporus, Aspergillus niger, and Neurospora sitophila [16]. Yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces marxianus are capable of producing SCP [17].…”

“…Fungi need organic matter as the primary source of carbon for energy production. There are at least eight macronutrients that need to be met: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, and magnesium, and there are five micronutrients: manganese, iron, zinc, copper, and molybdenum [16]. Organic carbon sources are sugars, such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose.…”

Plasma Promotes Fungal Cellulase Production by Regulating the Levels of Intracellular NO and Ca2+

“…Extracellularly secreted enzymes are more convenient for subsequent enzyme separation and extraction than intracellularly produced enzymes. In addition, the cellulase produced by fungi has a more reasonable structure, and the decomposition efficiency of the enzyme is higher [ 7 ].…”