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Biotechnological Applications of Fungi
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Biotechnological Applications of Fungi

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This special issue belongs to the section "Fungi in Agriculture and Biotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 7071

Editors

Prof. Dr. Luis Henrique Ferreira Do Vale

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Guest Editor
Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, Brazil
Interests: fungal biotechnology; proteomics; bioremediation; enzyme discovery; environmental microbiology; enzymology
Prof. Dr. Carlos André Ornelas Ricart

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasilia, Brazil
Interests: fungal biotechnology; proteomics; cell signaling; enzymology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue "Biotechnological Applications of Fungi" aims to gather cutting-edge research and critical reviews focused on the versatile roles of fungi in industrial, environmental, agricultural, and biomedical biotechnology. Fungi are prolific producers of enzymes with high catalytic efficiency, valuable metabolites for pharmaceutical and agro-industrial uses, and are increasingly explored for environmental applications such as bioremediation and biocontrol. Their ability to degrade complex pollutants and participate in sustainable bioprocesses makes them essential biotechnological agents.

This Special Issue welcomes studies that explore (i) fungal enzymes and their industrial applications; (ii) the use of fungi in environmental remediation and waste valorization; (iii) the discovery and engineering of bioactive fungal metabolites; (iv) innovations in fungal fermentation processes; and (v) integrative omics approaches (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) that advance the understanding and optimization of fungal biotechnological functions.

Original research articles, reviews, and short communications are encouraged. We particularly invite submissions addressing novel fungal mechanisms, systems biology approaches, synthetic biology tools, and advances in fungal strain improvement.

We look forward to receiving your contributions to this exciting Special Issue in the Journal of Fungi.

Conflict of Interest Declaration

All Guest Editors declare no conflicts of interest related to company affiliations, company funding, equity participation, or industrial grants that may influence the editorial handling of submissions to this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Luis Henrique Ferreira Do Vale
Prof. Dr. Carlos André Ornelas Ricart
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fungal biotechnology
  • enzyme production
  • bioremediation
  • secondary metabolites
  • fungal fermentation
  • omics technologies
  • proteomics
  • metabolomics
  • synthetic biology
  • fungal genetics

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 7629 KB  
Article
Transporter Engineering for Enhancing Citric Acid Production in Aspergillus niger
by Jie Li, Mingyang Li, Yan Song, Zeyu Xu, Yue Chen, Xianli Xue and Depei Wang
J. Fungi 2026, 12(7), 472; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12070472 - 26 Jun 2026
Viewed by 996
Abstract
The efficient industrial production of citric acid by A. niger requires overcoming the limitations of substrate uptake and citrate export on the citrate synthesis efficiency. This study addresses these obstacles using a transporter engineering strategy, modifying the endogenous high-affinity glucose transporter MstF and [...] Read more.
The efficient industrial production of citric acid by A. niger requires overcoming the limitations of substrate uptake and citrate export on the citrate synthesis efficiency. This study addresses these obstacles using a transporter engineering strategy, modifying the endogenous high-affinity glucose transporter MstF and citrate exporter CexA. The “push–pull” strategy was used to improve citric acid production by increasing glucose import and citrate export. A single overexpression of mstF improved citric acid production, reaching 179.35 g/L in the H7 strain. However, cexA high expression impaired dense mycelium pellet formation and affected the expression of key genes, resulting in reduced citric acid production. For balancing intracellular accumulation and secretion of citrate, simultaneous overexpression of mstF and cexA increased citric acid production and efficiency. In a 30 L fermenter, strain A5 achieved a citric acid titer of 185.91 g/L, a productivity of 3.21 g/h/L, and a shortened fermentation cycle. Collectively, these results provide a reference for the industrial production of citric acid and other organic acids. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnological Applications of Fungi)
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21 pages, 976 KB  
Article
Trichoderma asperellum and T. asperelloides: Comparative Genomic Study for Genes Implicated in Biocontrol and Biofertilizer Activities
by Adnan Ismaiel, Jackson Maul and Patricia Millner
J. Fungi 2026, 12(6), 418; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12060418 - 9 Jun 2026
Viewed by 918
Abstract
Trichoderma asperellum and T. asperelloides are two cryptic species that have potential for use as biocontrol and biofertilizer (B&B) agents. Comparison of the reference genomes of the two species revealed that each species had seven chromosomes, but Trichoderma asperellum has about 1000 more [...] Read more.
Trichoderma asperellum and T. asperelloides are two cryptic species that have potential for use as biocontrol and biofertilizer (B&B) agents. Comparison of the reference genomes of the two species revealed that each species had seven chromosomes, but Trichoderma asperellum has about 1000 more genes than T. asperelloides. The number of genes coding for chitinases, cellulases, xylanases, secreted proteases, and genes involved in soil and plant health was slightly greater in T. asperellum than in T. asperelloides. Moreover, T. asperellum had five more genes than T. asperelloides involved in the synthesis of secondary metabolites like peptaibols and siderophores. The B&B genes were distributed on all the chromosomes. No duplicate genes were found for any of the enzymes searched. The investigation also revealed that T. asperellum had 15 copies of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA compared to only seven copies in T. asperelloides. Further transcriptomic, proteomic, and efficacy studies are needed to determine the impact of the missing genes in T. asperelloides on its B&B activities compared to those of T. asperellum. The search for B&B genes in T. asperelloides was hindered by the lack of annotation for the genome. Thus, comparison only involves B&B genes searched in T. asperellum and whether homologs to the genes were available or missing in T. asperelloides. A comparison between additional strains of the two species is essential to show whether the data in this study apply to all intraspecies strains of the two species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnological Applications of Fungi)
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18 pages, 3037 KB  
Article
Preparation and Bioactivity Evaluation of Novel Dihydrotanshinone I Derivatives via Biotransformation by Ganoderma lingzhi
by Yixuan Wang, Wenjun Xu, Shiting Qiu, Siya Ying, Ka Hong Wong, Tianpeng Yin, Siwen Yuan and Kun Feng
J. Fungi 2026, 12(6), 389; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12060389 - 28 May 2026
Viewed by 607
Abstract
15,16-Dihydrotanshinone I (DHT) is a prominent lipophilic diterpenoid from Salvia miltiorrhiza with significant pharmacological potential, though its therapeutic application is limited by poor aqueous solubility. In this study, a microbial biotransformation strategy using Ganoderma lingzhi, known for its wide variety of enzyme, [...] Read more.
15,16-Dihydrotanshinone I (DHT) is a prominent lipophilic diterpenoid from Salvia miltiorrhiza with significant pharmacological potential, though its therapeutic application is limited by poor aqueous solubility. In this study, a microbial biotransformation strategy using Ganoderma lingzhi, known for its wide variety of enzyme, was employed to diversify the chemical structure of DHT and improve its bioactivity profile. Through systematic screening and optimization of fermentation conditions, seven transformation products were isolated and characterized. Among these, five are reported as novel compounds: 17-hydroxy-salvianone (A), 18,19-dihydroxy-danshinspiroketallactone (B-2), epi-18,19-hydroxy-danshinspiroketallactone (B-3), 20-hydroxy-salvianone (C), and 19-hydroxy-danshinspiroketallactone (D). Biological evaluations demonstrated that these derivatives possess multi-target therapeutic potential, including moderate cytotoxic effects against 4T1 and A549 cancer cell lines, alongside anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. However, no significant antibacterial activity was observed for any of the derivatives against six common pathogens. Specifically, compound A significantly inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, while B-3 protected SH-SY5Y cells against H2O2-induced oxidative stress. Transcriptomic profiling of the biotransformation process identified 2221 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), showing significant enrichment in cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism and oxidative stress response pathways, which were further validated by qPCR. These results establish G. lingzhi as an efficient biocatalyst for the structural modification of tanshinones and provide a library of novel DHT derivatives for drug discovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnological Applications of Fungi)
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18 pages, 5101 KB  
Article
Screening and Quality Evaluation of Submerged Culture Media Formulations for Pleurotus pulmonarius
by Jiling Song, Qiangjun Lang, Xingyu Lin, Song Wang and Weidong Yuan
J. Fungi 2026, 12(5), 310; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12050310 - 23 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1622
Abstract
The transition toward industrial-scale, year-round production of Pleurotus pulmonarius necessitates efficient and standardized spawn production. Liquid spawn technology plays a pivotal role in this process; however, recommended formulations and science-based quality criteria remain lacking. This study aimed to screen a high-performance liquid spawn [...] Read more.
The transition toward industrial-scale, year-round production of Pleurotus pulmonarius necessitates efficient and standardized spawn production. Liquid spawn technology plays a pivotal role in this process; however, recommended formulations and science-based quality criteria remain lacking. This study aimed to screen a high-performance liquid spawn medium and define key quality parameters for industrial application. Ten culture media formulations were evaluated to determine their effects on mycelial growth, as well as the subsequent yield and quality of fruiting bodies. The optimal formulation (Formula 4) contained glucose (1.6%), soybean meal (0.3%), corn flour (0.2%), peptone (0.2%), KH2PO4 (0.1%), and MgSO4 (0.055%). The growth rhythm of the selected formulation was meticulously tracked, leading to the identification of a critical inoculation window between 4.75 and 5.5 days. Spawn within this window exhibited a mycelial biomass of 1.60~1.86 g/L, pellet diameter of 1.83~1.92 mm, pellet density of 12.25~13.75 per mL, and fermentation broth pH of 6.35~6.44, which were strongly correlated with peak yield (up to 284 g/bag) and premium-grade ratio (up to 87.97%). The multi-parameter composite standard is proposed as a practical tool for quality control in industrial fermenters, enabling precise harvest timing and ensuring the consistent, high-yield, and high-quality production of P. pulmonarius. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnological Applications of Fungi)
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14 pages, 8024 KB  
Article
The Fungus HL-29: A Promising Weed Pathogen with Bioherbicidal Potential and Crop Safety
by Lan Yang, Chao Peng, Haixia Zhu and Yongqiang Ma
J. Fungi 2026, 12(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12010017 - 25 Dec 2025
Viewed by 820
Abstract
The herbicidal efficacy and crop safety of Fusarium acuminatum strain HL-29, an endophytic fungus isolated from infected Amaranthus retroflexus in Qinghai Province, were evaluated. In vitro leaf assays demonstrated its pathogenicity against four broadleaf weeds, with efficacy ranked as follows: Elsholtzia densa = [...] Read more.
The herbicidal efficacy and crop safety of Fusarium acuminatum strain HL-29, an endophytic fungus isolated from infected Amaranthus retroflexus in Qinghai Province, were evaluated. In vitro leaf assays demonstrated its pathogenicity against four broadleaf weeds, with efficacy ranked as follows: Elsholtzia densa = Senecio vulgaris = Chenopodium album > Malva verticillata. Pot trials further confirmed that the HL-29 fermentate caused 100% disease incidence in S. vulgaris, C. album, and E. densa. Notably, the strain showed no pathogenicity toward seven major local crops, indicating excellent selectivity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed key morphological changes during the infection process on C. album leaves. These results establish F. acuminatum HL-29 as a promising biocontrol candidate against broadleaf weeds in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, providing a theoretical foundation for developing alpine-adapted mycoherbicides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnological Applications of Fungi)
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19 pages, 3727 KB  
Article
Extracellular Phosphate Availability Impacts Aspergillus terreus Itaconic Acid Fermentation via Biomass-Specific Product Yield
by Ákos P. Molnár, István Bakondi-Kovács, Vivien Bíró, Alexandra Márton, István S. Kolláth, Erzsébet Fekete, Norbert Ág, Erzsébet Sándor, András Csótó, Béla Kovács, Christian P. Kubicek and Levente Karaffa
J. Fungi 2026, 12(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12010014 - 25 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1260
Abstract
Itaconic acid (IA) is an important bio-based platform chemical produced via submerged fermentation by the filamentous Ascomycete Aspergillus terreus. In this study, we examined the impact of initial phosphate concentration on IA production from D-glucose and D-xylose in optimized, manganese-limited fermentations. Nine [...] Read more.
Itaconic acid (IA) is an important bio-based platform chemical produced via submerged fermentation by the filamentous Ascomycete Aspergillus terreus. In this study, we examined the impact of initial phosphate concentration on IA production from D-glucose and D-xylose in optimized, manganese-limited fermentations. Nine phosphate concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 4 g L−1 were tested, and representative low (0.04 g L−1), optimal (0.1 g L−1), and high (0.8 g L−1) conditions were analyzed in detail in controlled, 6 L scale bioreactors. Phosphate availability primarily influenced biomass formation and the biomass-to-product ratio rather than directly affecting IA accumulation. Both lower- and higher-than-optimal phosphate concentrations decreased the volumetric and specific IA yields, while the highest productivity was observed at 0.1 g L−1. Expression of the aoxA gene, encoding the cyanide-resistant alternative oxidase (AOX), and AOX enzymatic activity were inversely correlated with extracellular phosphate concentration, consistent with a role in redox homeostasis under phosphate-limited conditions. In contrast, total respiration rates and pellet-type morphology remained unaffected. These findings indicate that phosphate acts mainly as a secondary modulator of IA fermentation performance through its influence on biomass formation, whereas other metabolic constraints play a more dominant role in controlling IA overflow in A. terreus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnological Applications of Fungi)
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