Termite Mushrooms (Termitomyces), a Potential Source of Nutrients and Bioactive Compounds Exhibiting Human Health Benefits: A Review

Termite mushrooms have been classified to the genus Termitomyces, family Lyophyllaceae, order Agaricales. These mushrooms form a mutualistic association with termites in the subfamily Macrotermitinae. In fact, all Termitomyces species are edible and have unique food value attributed to their texture, flavour, nutrient content, and beneficial mediational properties. Additionally, Termitomyces have been recognized for their ethno-medicinal importance in various indigenous communities throughout Asia and Africa. Recent studies on Termitomyces have indicated that their bioactive compounds have the potential to fight against certain human diseases such as cancer, hyperlipidaemia, gastroduodenal diseases, and Alzheimer’s. Furthermore, they possess various beneficial antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Moreover, different enzymes produced from Termitomyces have the potential to be used in a range of industrial applications. Herein, we present a brief review of the current findings through an overview of recently published literature involving taxonomic updates, diversity, distribution, ethno-medicinal uses, nutritional value, medicinal importance, and industrial implementations of Termitomyces, as well as its socioeconomic importance.


Introduction
As the second largest group of organisms, fungi are estimated to comprise 11.7-13.2 million species; however, to date, only 150,000 fungal species have been fully explored [1,2]. The huge degree of diversity of this organism, along with differing climatic conditions and a wide range of distribution, have all contributed to fungi being recognized as an ultimate source of natural compounds that can have a significant impact on human health, the economy, and the environment [3,4]. Fungi producing fruit bodies are called "macrofungi" or "mushrooms" that are large enough to be observed by the naked eye. They are able to grow either above ground or underground. Mushrooms are distributed throughout the world and play an important role in associations with mycorrhizae, saprotroph, parasites, and insects in various ecosystems. Mueller et al. [5] estimated that there are 53,000 to 110,000 mushroom species in the world. Up to the present time, approximately 14,000 species have been officially described [6]. In 2021, more than 2189 wild edible mushrooms were reported to be from different parts of the world, of which the highest number of

Overview of Taxonomic Implementation
The genus Termitomyces was established by R. Heim in 1942 [17]. Soon after the discovery of this genus, Singer [18] recognized a new genus, namely Podabrella, and P. microcarpa (synonym: Termitomyces microcarpus) was proposed as the type species. Podabrella species was placed in the subgenus Praetemitomyces. However, this classification has not been accepted by Heim [19] and Pegler [20] as they have held back all Podabrella species in the genus Termitomyces due to their morphological similarity with other species belonging to the genus Termitomyces and their association with termites [21]. The early identification and classification of Termitomyces has been broadly studied based on comparisons of relevant morphological characteristics. The first detailed study of this genus was summarized by Heim in his monograph "Termite Et Champgnon" [19] of Termitomyces species from Africa and Asia. Later, Jiilich [22] elevated this genus to the family level, namely Termitomycetaceae, together with Amanitaceae and Torrendiaceae under the order Amanitales. Pegler [23] chose to accommodate this genus within the family Pluteaceae due to its morphological similarity with Pluteaceae (free and crowded lamella, pink spores print, glutted basidiospores, and hymeneal cystidia) [24]. However, the morphological identification of Termitomyces has been limited due to the high degree of phenotypic variability that exists across a wide range of geographic distribution, varying environmental conditions, and the fact that the developmental stage may make morphological identification difficult among other closely related species. Thus, it is essential to identify Termitomyces species by applying a DNA-based analysis of its molecular data.
In 2002, the molecular phylogeny along with the morphological characteristics was used for a more prominent identification of the Termitomyces species. Rouland-Lefevre et al. [25] used 15 Termitomyces samples to establish any relevant molecular relationships based on the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA region. Some molecular studies focusing on the host specificity of termites and fungal associations were conducted by Aanen et al. [26] and employed the large subunit (nrLSU) region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrLSU) and the mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU) region for molecular identification. Taprab et al. [27] combined the ITS and nrLSU regions for effective identification of the Termitomyces species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis has revealed that the genus Termitomyces forms a monophyletic clade in the family Lyophyllaceae, order Agaricales [25,28]. Frøslev et al. [29], also indicated that Termitomyces and Sinotermitomyces are actually congeneric based on nrLSU and mtSSU sequence analysis [25]. However, the most significant phylogenetic study on Termitomyces based on an analysis of nrLSU and mtSSU sequences was provided by Mossebo et al. [30], wherein the Termitomyces species was found to include 74 strains belonging to 28 taxa. Sawhasan et al. [31] reported nine known Termitomyces species distributed throughout Thailand using ITS sequences. Another molecular study conducted in Africa determined that ITS sequences could be used for accurate Termitomyces identification. Recently, may new species have also been identified and proposed based on morpho-molecular taxonomic techniques. Accordingly, Mossebo et al. [30] reported a new combination species, namely T. brunneopileatus from Cameroon, based on nrLSU and mtSSU sequences. Ye et al. [32] identified T. fragilis from China based on ITS sequence. Tang et al. [33] identified T. floccosus and T. upsilocystidiatus from China and Thailand based on combined nrLSU and mtSSU regions. Seelan et al. [34] identified T. gilvus from Malaysia based on nrLSU and mtSSU sequences. Izhar et al. [35] identified T. sheikhupurensis from Pakistan based on a combination of ITS and nrLSU sequences. Additionally, T. cryptogamus was described from Africa based on a phylogenetic analysis of the ITS sequence [36]. Therefore, it is essential to be able to identify Termitomyces by coordinating both morphological characteristics and molecular approaches through the phylogenetic analyses of ITS, nrLSU, and mtSSU sequences.

Species Diversity and Distribution
Termitomyces grows in association with fungal-growing termites belonging to the subfamily Macrotermitinae. It is frequently found in the ecosystems of tropical regions [37]. More than 330 species of termites, especially those classified within the genus Odontotermes, Macrotermes, and Microtermes, have been reported to be associated with the cultivation of Termitomyces [26,38]. The mutualistic symbiosis between Termitomyces and termites was established at least 31 million years ago [39], where termites provided a constant environment for fungal growth as well as to help in the dispersal of spores. In turn, Termitomyces provide food for the termites [40]. Generally, termites cultivate Termitomyces mycelia on special structures within their nests called "fungal combs". Fruiting bodies of Termitomyces develop from these fungal combs ( Figure 1) when the environment is favorable. The seasonal fructification (especially during the rainy season) of Termitomyces is restricted to the paleotropical region (African, Asian, and the Pacific Island region), but it is also found in America (Figure 2A) [37]. During the period from 1945 to 1990, many Termitomyces species have been found in Africa and Asia. Otieno [41] reported on the identification of five new species with 10 known species being from East Africa. Another study conducted by Pegler and Rayner [42] reported that 11 species were from the same region, while some previous studies [21,43,44] identified seven and five species, respectively, from South Africa. Furthermore, Alasoadura [45] identified six species from Nigeria, and Moriss [46] reported on eight species from Malawi. One new species, Termitomyces titanicus, was reported to be from Zambia along with 10 other known species [47,48].
Taxonomic treatments of the genus Termitomyces in Asia were mainly conducted by several previous studies [49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58]. Termitomyces species were reportedly from India and 22 taxa were reported to be from Asia. The type revision of three Indian Termitomyces species was conducted by Tang et al. [59] and Pegler and Vanhaecke [24] in South East Asia. They reported on the existence of 14 Termitomyces species from China, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, etc. [60][61][62][63][64], while Tang et al. [65] reported that many Termitomyces species were collected from different parts of India and China. Sawhasan et al. [31] and Jannual et al. [66] have also provided distributional records of several Termitomyces species from Thailand, while Kobayashi et al. [67] identified several species from Japan. Currently, worldwide distribution of Termitomyces comprises 58 species [68]. The list of Termitomyces species and their known range of distribution are summarized in Table 1.  Overview of worldwide distribution of Termitomyces species (A) (highlighted as blue color, the map was created using MapChart [69]); type species discovery (B) and distribution of species (C). known species [47,48].

Edibility and Socio-Economic Impact
Mushrooms have extensively been used as a food source for thousands of years due to their unique flavor and beneficial food value [6,7]. Currently, mushrooms are being used as functional food for the prevention of several human diseases [10,148,149]. Termite mushrooms are known for their unique taste and flavor, and are particularly abundant in Africa and Asia [34,46]. Almost all species of Termitomyces are edible; however, T. titanicus is the world's largest edible mushroom. It grows abundantly in West Africa as well as Zambia where it is frequently consumed by local people [46,150]. The main reason for its popularity is its nutritional value and beneficial medicinal properties [151][152][153][154].
The development of non-wood forest products is the primary income source for several ethnic groups in different regions of the world [181]. Many ethnic groups of people collect different non-wood forest products (for example: honey, wild fruit, and edible mushrooms) for resale in the marketplace as a way of earning income [181]. The socioeconomic development of products incorporating wild edible mushrooms is a traditional practice among ethnic societies in Asia and Africa [182]. For example, the Benna and Hehe ethnic groups of Tanzania collect 1000-1500 kg wild mushrooms per season and consequently earn 500 to 650 USD [156]. However, Termitomyces is one of the most famous wild edible mushrooms that has contributed to the socio-economic development of this country due to its high market value. For example, certain tribal peoples (Santals, Bhumij, Lodha, Munda, and others) from West Bengal, India sell Termitomyces at local village markets or in small city markets and earn 0.5 to 2.5 USD/kg [12,155]. Manna and Roy [155] have estimated that 9.83% and 10.29% of the total annual income of a Santal family can come from the harvesting of wild mushrooms of the Choupahari and Gonpur forest areas, respectively.

Ethnomedicinal Importance
Folk medicine has long been a traditional practice and a key cultural element of ethnic communities all over the world [183]. This type of practice can involve plants and plant parts, as well as also other harvestable organisms including mushrooms [184,185]. The ethnomedicinal importance of different Termitomyces species are summarized in Table 2. Different ethnic groups have their own priorities in the way they choose to utilize natural resources, for example some east Asian countries (China and Japan) have well-documented their traditional knowledge of mushrooms and have also found ways to use this knowledge in the present, but several countries have not retained this type of knowledge in a well-documented form [186,187]. However, several members of the genus Termitomyces have been recognized for their ethnomedicinal importance to different ethnic groups and countries [14,72]. For example, T. microcarpus is widely distributed across certain continents (Asia and Africa) and can be employed in different ethnomedicinal applications in differing locations. In Nigeria (especially among the Yoruba people) this species is used to treat gonorrhea [16,184], while in India it is used to treat fevers, colds, and fungal infections [188]. Furthermore, the native people of Tanzania and Nepal use it to boost the immunosystem and consume it in the form of a tonic as an energy stimulant, respectively [14,72]. The native people of the Kilum-Ijim forest area (Cameroon) use this mushroom to strengthen bones in children and to treat fever [135]. However, a valuable publication by Aryal and Budathoki [14] reported on the ethnomedicinal importance of Termitomyces in Nepal and described nineteen Termitomyces species consumed by local and ethnic people in the treatment of several diseases [14]. T. clypeatus Used for the treatment of pox India Santal [189,190] Used for the remedy of measles, yellow fevers Nepal NR [14] Treating constipation and gastritis in adults, and highly recommended for underweight children Ethiopia NR [118] T. eurrhizus Used for the treatments of rheumatism, diarrhea, and lowering high blood pressure India Santal, Kolha, Munda, Khadia, Bhumija, Bhuyan, Bathudi, Ho, Kudumi, and Mankdias [191] Used for skin diseases with mixing the herb (Cynodon doctylon) Nepal NR [14] Used in fever and measles India NR [192] Used for recovery chicken pox India Santal [190] T. globulus Used for wound healing Nepal NR [14]  Used in blood tonics during wound healing and blood coagulation India NR [193] Syrup is used for Jaundice and diarrhea Nepal NR [14] T. letestui Used in remedy of inappetence, abdominal disorder, Indigestion, and stomachache Nepal NR [14] T. mammiformis Used in abdominal discomfort, cough and whooping cough India Mokokchung [194] Used in increase body strengthen Nepal NR [14] T. microcarpus Used in Bone strengthening for children and Fever Cameroon local peoples from Kilum-Ijim forest area [135] Used in treatment for fever, cold, and fungal infections India NR [188] Used in gonorrhea treatment Nigeria Yoruba [16,187] Used for boosting immune system Tanzania NR [72] Tonic for stimulating power Nepal NR [14] Used in constipation, gastritis in adults, and highly recommended for underweight children Ethiopia NR [118] T. reticulatus Used in rheumatism and lowering high blood pressure India Kharia, Mankidi, Santal, Kolha, Munda, Bhumija, Bhuyan, Bathudi, Ho, Kudumi, Mankidia and Birhor [186] T. robustus Used in anemia and high blood pressure Nigeria NR [195] Used in constipation, laziness, indolence, and inactiveness Nepal NR [14] Used in Maagun Nigeria Yoruba [16] T. schimperi Used in cut wound, and skin diseases Nepal NR [14] T. tyleranus Used in chicken pox India Dangi [140] T. umkowaan Used in mouthwash for buccal cavity infection, and arthritics pain Nepal NR [14] NR = Not reported.

Nutritional Prospects
Fruiting bodies of the Termitomyces species are known to offer a significant nutritional value to humans [174,196,197]. According to various scientific investigations on their proximate composition, several Termitomyces species regarded as a source of nutrition for humans because of their containing of protein, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber [109,173,174,196,197]. Some examples of the proximate compositions of different Termitomyces are presented in Table 3. Additionally, T. eurrhizus, T. microcarpus, T. robustus, T. striatus, and T. umkowaan are known to contain a number of beneficial minerals (including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, phosphorus, and manganese) and vitamins (vitamin A, thiamine, ascorbic acid, tocopherol, and others) [174,197] (Table 3). The Termitomyces species is also known to contain different types of amino acids, e.g., histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, valine, arginine, aspartic acid, serine, glutamic acid, proline, glycine, alanine, cysteine, and tyrosine [196]. According to Karun et al. [147], the uncooked T. umkowaan has greater crude fiber, ash, and minerals compared to cooked conditions; however, there are no significant differences variations in crude protein, fat, and carbohydrate.

Phenolic Compounds
Phenolic compounds are the most abundant secondary metabolite found in several varieties of mushrooms [199][200][201]. The common chemical structure of the phenolic compounds comprise one or more than one hydroxyl substituents attached to an aromatic ring. Phenolic acids, flavonoids, lignans, stilbenes, and tannins are the major phenolic groups [201]. Phenolic compounds are known to have a great impact on various biological activities, e.g., antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties [202]. However, wild macrofungi can be a good alternative source of phenolic compounds. Many edible and medicinally important macrofungi contain different types of phenolic compounds that may have a great benefit to human health [9,203]. Members of the genus Termitomyces possess a huge number of phenolic compounds and are well-documented to have originated from different corners of the world [196,204,205]. Most of these studies have been undertaken to measure the total amount or the presence/absence of different phenolic compounds, e.g., flavonoids, lignans, and stilbenes. The Termitomyces species is known to contain different phenolic compounds including gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, ellagic acid, catechins, epicatechins, rutin, isoquercitrin, quercitrin, quercetin, and kaempferol (Table 4).

Polysaccharides
Polysaccharides obtained from edible mushrooms are one of the most interesting constituents possessing a range of mediational properties, nutritional value, and antioxidant proprieties [212,213]. Several previous studies [214][215][216][217][218][219] have reported on the polysaccharides obtained from different Termitomyces species and also investigated their mediational and nutritional properties, as has been summarized in Table 5. T. heimii Water-soluble polysaccharide (THP-I) Glucose Antimicrobial, Anticancer, and Antioxidant properties [152] T. microcarpus

Other Bioactive Components
A huge array of bioactive compounds has been reported to originate from different Termitomyces species, including cerebrosides, ergostanes, fatty acid amides, serine, saponins, and protease [221][222][223][224]. Among them, cerebrosides play an important role in the treatment of several diseases. These include neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease [222]. Monoglycylceramides are a group of glycosphingolipids commonly known as cerebrosides. To date, different cerebrosides (Termitomycamides A to E) have been extracted from T. titanicus [223] (Figure 4). Termitomycamide B and E showed the protective activity against endoplasmic reticulum stress-dependent cell death. Fatty amides include nitrogen derivative fatty acids, alcohol, or olefines obtained from natural sources or petrochemical raw materials [225]. Fatty acid amines have great industrial potential to be used in many fields including water treatment, agrochemical production, personal care, fabric softeners, paints, and coatings [225]. Importantly, five fatty acid amides have been isolated from T. titanicus [223].
Fatty amides include nitrogen derivative fatty acids, alcohol, or olefines obtain natural sources or petrochemical raw materials [225]. Fatty acid amines ha industrial potential to be used in many fields including water treatment, agroc production, personal care, fabric softeners, paints, and coatings [225]. Importan fatty acid amides have been isolated from T. titanicus [223].

Research on Antioxidant Activity
Free radicals are produced from molecular oxygen via various endogenous processes (physiological and metabolic processes) and from a variety of exogenous sources (ionizing radiation, ultraviolet light, and various pollutants). They are generally referred to as reactive oxygen species (ROS) [226][227][228]. The production of free radicals can have a negative effect on the state of health of living organisms including humans [227][228][229]. All organisms can protect themselves from different free radical damage that is induced by oxidative enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase) and chemical compounds (α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and glutathione) [230] due to their antioxidant activity. When the mechanism of antioxidant fortification becomes disturbed via free radical activity, it can lead to several diseases such as arteriosclerosis, cancer, cirrhosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as certain degenerative processes associated with aging [227][228][229].

Research on Antimicrobial Activity
Presently, modern healthcare practices face a significant challenge in their battle against microbial drug-resistance as many antimicrobial agents are losing their efficacy. For example, cephalosporin and quinolones (β-lactam antibiotics) are routinely being used to treat E. coli infection, but currently they have begun to lose their effect [241,242]. The importance of developing alternative therapies and agents against drug resistant bacteria, as well as other potentially dangerous micro-organisms, have also been indicated by the World Health Organization [243]. Many antibiotics have been derived from natural sources and these have been developed as safe supplements in the administration of antimicrobial therapies [244]. Wild edible mushrooms contain a wide range of low-and high-molecular weighted compounds that could be developed as safe and natural sources of antibiotics. Several reports have indicated that macro fungi possess good antimicrobial properties that can further be employed in the pharma industry [6,245,246]. Members of the genus Termitomyces have shown significant results in reacting against various human pathogenic bacteria and some fungal pathogens, but no studies have yet been undertaken involving other microorganisms [133]. Among the various Termitomyces species, T. clypeatus, T. eurrhizus, T. heimii, and T. robustus showed significant antimicrobial activity against different pathogenic microorganisms [234,[247][248][249][250][251]. Some polysaccharides (endo-and exo-polysaccharides) from T. heimii also showed significance antimicrobial activity against different micro-organisms [152,251]. The antimicrobial activities of different Tremitomyces species have been summarized in Table 7.

Research on Anticancer Activity
Presently, cancer therapies, e.g., radiotherapy and chemotherapy, can have a variety of effects on the immune system [253]. Immunomodulatory agents derived from biological sources have received attention for their minimal or non-existent side effects on the human immune system. Among them, mushrooms may be a great alternative source in the development of effective cancer treatments [254,255]. However, the mechanism of the immunomodulatory effect of mushroom polysaccharides is not yet clear. Generally, mushroom polysaccharides do not assert cytotoxic effects on tumor cells but can enhance an immunomodulatory response [256]. Many recent studies have claimed that mushrooms have potential to be used in the development of cancer therapies [255,[257][258][259]. Termitomyces have not yet been fully investigated for use in the development of cancer treatments when compared to other edible mushrooms. However, a few studies involving the Termitomyces species viz. in vivo study of water-soluble crude polysaccharides of T. heimii have indicated an effective decrease in hyperplasia on colon cancer in Swiss albino rats when induced by 1, 2-dimethylhydrazine. Consequently, they could be used in the development of treatments for other forms of cancer [152]. In this regard, T. schimperi combined with kaolin has exhibited mutagenic potential [153]. Ergostane is a steroid hydrocarbon that has strong potential to be used in the development of new therapeutics in the treatment of a number of diseases (e.g., several types of cancer). Very limited research has been conducted on ergostane obtained from Termitomyces to date. Njue et al. [224] isolated five types of ergostane (namely dimethylincisterol, 5α,8α-epidioxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-6,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol, 5α,8α-epidioxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-6,22-dien-3β-ol, 5α,6α-epoxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-8(14),22-diene-3β,7α-diol and (22E,24R)-ergosta-7,22-diene-3β,5α,6β-triol) and betulinic acid ( Figure 5) from T. microcarpus that exhibited potential against cancer with leukemia SR line, the melanoma LOX IMVI line, the breast cancer cell line T-47D, colon cancer cell lines, as well as some ovarian, prostate, and CNS cancer cell lines. The aqueous extract of T. clypeatus displayed cytotoxicity against several cell lines (U373MG, MDA-MB-468, HepG2, HL-60, A549, U937, OAW-42, and Y-79). However, it exhibited higher activity against the cell line U937 and significantly decreased tumors, while increasing hemoglobin and RBC counts, and increasing the mean survival time of all subjects [154]. ergosta-7,22-diene-3β,5α,6β-triol) and betulinic acid ( Figure 5) from T. microcarpus that exhibited potential against cancer with leukemia SR line, the melanoma LOX IMVI line the breast cancer cell line T-47D, colon cancer cell lines, as well as some ovarian, prostate, and CNS cancer cell lines. The aqueous extract of T. clypeatus displayed cytotoxicity against several cell lines (U373MG, MDA-MB-468, HepG2, HL-60, A549, U937, OAW-42, and Y-79). However, it exhibited higher activity against the cell line U937 and significantly decreased tumors, while increasing hemoglobin and RBC counts, and increasing the mean survival time of all subjects [154].

Research on Other Human Diseases
According to Anchang et al. [260], T. titanicus was capable of increasing hemoglobin levels (12.2 g/dl) and white blood cells (26300 cells/mm 3 ) when compared to treatments involving vitamin B complex on albino rat models; however, they may also be used in the treatment of Noma disease (cancrum oris) A preliminary study of polysaccharide T. eurhizus exhibited antiulcerogenic properties in mice models. This could be useful in the treatment of gastroduodenal diseases that are caused by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [214]. A water-soluble polysaccharide fraction obtained from T. eurrhizus was found to dosedependently inhibit the replication of intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania donovani in macrophages [261].
On the other hand, some previous studies reported that Termitomyces contains alphaemitting radioisotopes ( 137 Cs, 40 K, 226 Ra, 232 Th, and 235 U) and may have negative effects on human health [262,263]. Notably, Termitomyces also accumulate various amounts of arsenic (As) which is a significant risk to human health when consumed [264].

Enzymes for Industrial Implementation
There has been a recent trend toward employing biological processes over chemical processes for industrial applications in order to reduce the resulting amounts of environmental pollution, wherein fungal enzymes can play an important role in the textile, leather, paper, and pulp industries, and particularly in the food industry [265][266][267][268]. For example, Xylanase can be produced by a large number of fungal genera, including Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, Pichia, and Trichoderma, and is widely used in the production of biofuels, in the food production industry, as well as in the paper and pharmaceutical industries [267,268]. However, very few reports have been made available involving the genus Termitomyces that establish whether it can be used in industrial applications, whereas research on the enzyme production of Termitomyces could be widely used for various industrial purposes. Accordingly, Majumder et al. [265] reported on metalloprotease (κ-casein specific) obtained from T. clypeatus, which is a new source of milk-clotting protease that can be used as a substitute for chymosin in cheese production. Another report on the same species has confirmed that it produced extracellular alkaline protease, which could efficiently depilate goat skin and separate bird feather vanes from the shaft [268]. Many other Termitomyces species that produce a wide range of lignocellulolytic enzymes have been summarized in Table 8. These lignocellulolytic enzymes can potentially be used in a number of important industries. T. eurrhizus α-galactosidase [272] T. heimii Lignocellulases [273] Termitomyces sp. OE147 Cellobiose Dehydrogenase [274]

Future Prospects and Conclusions
Currently, mushrooms and natural compounds derived from mushrooms have become a popular supplementary food and have been recognized as a potential health promoter. However, at present, many ongoing research studies have focused on the industrial development of wild edible mushrooms and their cultivation. Artificial cultivation techniques of wild edible mushrooms, especially Termitomyces, have not yet been available to date, but several researchers have been attempting to develop artificial techniques for the cultivation and mass production of termite mushrooms. The taxonomic implementation of Termitomyces is based on multi-gene phylogenetic concepts employed in conjunction with detailed morphology. The Termitomyces species are known to possess several nutritional and mediational prospects that involve a wide array of secondary metabolites, vitamins, and micro-nutrients. These are known to possess beneficial antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant properties, indicating that they can possibly be a source in future drug development efforts. Termitomyces can be used in the food industry, while different enzymes derived from Termitomyces can be used in several industrial applications including those of the textile, leather, paper, and pulp industries. The ethno-medicinal importance of this genus needs to be further explored in terms of its prominence in various ethnic communities. Moreover, the traditional knowledge of this species that can be obtained from local communities in different regions may play a significant role in contributing to modern medical research, which may help researchers discover alternative natural sources for use in antibiotic development.