Fungal Secondary Metabolism: Discovery and Characterization of Biologically Active Compounds

A special issue of Fermentation (ISSN 2311-5637). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbial Metabolism, Physiology & Genetics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 633

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: polysaccharides; triterpenes; immunoregulation; fungi; edible mushrooms
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: fungi; edible mushrooms; mycelial fermentation; biosynthesis; multiomics; functional food
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fungi are biodiverse, with more than 97,000 fungal species described, accounting for only about 6% of the total. About 50% of biologically active microbial secondary metabolites are produced by filamentous fungi. These secondary metabolites have broad applications in the medical, agricultural, and food fields. At present, most of the antibiotics, immunomodulators, hypolipidemic, and cholesterol drugs with important clinical application value are derived from secondary metabolites of fungi. Due to the important application value of fungal secondary metabolites, the study of fungal secondary metabolism has always been a research hotspot. However, the yield of fungal secondary metabolites is low enough for large-scale extraction and purification. To address this limitation, the biosynthesis of these compounds is often enhanced through methods and strategies such as fermentation media optimization, gene-level modification, and exogenous stimulation. We mainly focus on the isolation and purification, structure identification, activity analysis, fermentation process optimization, metabolic pathway analysis, synthesis regulation, and other aspects of fungal secondary metabolites in the Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Wen Huang
Dr. Ying Liu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • fungi
  • fermentation
  • secondary metabolism
  • functional component
  • separation and purification
  • bioactivity
  • structural characteristics
  • omics
  • metabolic pathways
  • biosynthesis

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

25 pages, 11690 KiB  
Article
Bioprospecting the Endophytic Fungus, Lasiodiplodia theobromae MMPI, for the Integrated Production of Mycoprotein and Exocellular (1→6)-β-Glucan
by Marcelo Luis Kuhn Marchioro, Gabrielli Aline Pietro Bom Candeia, Luana Malaquias Bertoleti, Aneli M. Barbosa-Dekker, Robert F. H. Dekker and Mário Antônio Alves da Cunha
Fermentation 2025, 11(4), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11040166 - 24 Mar 2025
Viewed by 361
Abstract
In response to the growing demand for alternative protein sources and functional biomolecules for industrial applications, this study investigated the production of mycoprotein and extracellular (1→6)-β-D-glucan (lasiodiplodan) by the fungus Lasiodiplodia theobromae MMPI, establishing an integrated biotechnological platform. Soybean molasses were evaluated as [...] Read more.
In response to the growing demand for alternative protein sources and functional biomolecules for industrial applications, this study investigated the production of mycoprotein and extracellular (1→6)-β-D-glucan (lasiodiplodan) by the fungus Lasiodiplodia theobromae MMPI, establishing an integrated biotechnological platform. Soybean molasses were evaluated as a low-cost fermentation substrate and compared to a sucrose-based medium. The experimental design and response surface methodology defined conditions that maximized mycelial biomass and lasiodiplodan production. Mycelial biomass from soybean molasses was rich in essential amino acids, lipids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids like gamma-linolenic and alpha-linolenic acids, while sucrose favored higher lasiodiplodan production. Antioxidant compounds like gallic acid and catechin were also found in the biomass, showing potential for scavenging free radicals. Soybean molasses promoted lipid-rich biomass, suggesting L. theobromae MMPI’s potential for biofuel production. This study highlights the fungus’ utility in producing mycoproteins, lipids, and lasiodiplodan for food, animal feed, and industrial uses. Full article
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