Search Results (58)

Fungi have emerged as versatile biotechnological platforms for addressing environmental challenges with potential co-benefits for human health. Among them, Pleurotus ostreatus stands out for its ligninolytic enzyme systems (notably laccases), capacity to valorize lignocellulosic residues, and ability to form functional mycelial materials. We conducted an evidence-mapped review, based on a bibliometric analysis of the Scopus corpus (2001–2025; 2085 records), to characterize research fronts and practical opportunities in environmental remediation and sustainable bioprocesses involving P. ostreatus. The mapped literature shows sustained growth and global engagement, with prominent themes in: (a) oxidative transformation of phenolic compounds, dyes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; (b) biodegradation/bioconversion of agro-industrial residues into value-added products; and (c) development of bio-based materials and processes aligned with the circular bioeconomy. We synthesize how these strands translate to real-world contexts, reducing contaminant loads, closing nutrient loops, and enabling low-cost processes that may indirectly reduce exposure-related risks. Key translational gaps persist: standardization of environmental endpoints, scale-up from laboratory to field, performance in complex matrices, life-cycle impacts and cost, ecotoxicological safety, and long-term monitoring. A practical agenda was proposed that prioritizes field-scale demonstrations with harmonized protocols, integration of life-cycle assessment and cost metrics, data sharing, and One Health frameworks linking environmental gains with plausible health co-benefits. In conclusion, P. ostreatus is a tractable platform organism for sustainable remediation and bio-manufacturing. This evidence map clarifies where the field is mature and where focused effort can accelerate the impact of future research. Full article

Trametes polyzona is a white-rot basidiomycete with increasing relevance in environmental biotechnology due to its ligninolytic enzymes, biodegradation capacity, and versatile metabolic responses to diverse substrates. To provide an integrated and updated understanding of its biotechnological potential, we conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines. A total of 46 studies published between 1991 and 2024 were analyzed, covering enzymatic production profiles, degradation of xenobiotics, extraction of bioactive metabolites, and experimental conditions influencing performance. Across the literature, T. polyzona consistently exhibits high ligninolytic activity, including laccase specific activities reported up to 1637 U/mg, together with efficient transformation of dyes, pesticides, and phenolic pollutants, and promising antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. However, substantial methodological heterogeneity was identified, particularly in strain characterization, fermentation parameters, and analytical approaches used to quantify enzymatic and biodegradation outcomes. These inconsistencies limit cross-study comparability and hinder process standardization. This review integrates current evidence; highlights critical gaps, such as limited ecotoxicological assessment of degradation products and scarce multi-omics characterization; and identifies key opportunities for process optimization in submerged/solid-state fermentation, bioreactor scaling, and the valorization of fungal metabolites. Overall, T. polyzona remains an underutilized resource with distinct advantages for applied mycology, environmental remediation, and industrial biotechnology. Full article

Biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAOs) provide risk for foodborne contamination. Soils are often enriched with BSAAOs to increase nutrient value, enhance and support crop growth and yield. Little is known about the interactions of soil microorganisms and the potential impact on food safety. Although BSAAOs provide benefits to soil and crops, BSAAOs are a risk for contamination. Another source of risk includes adjacent land use of concentrated animal feed operations (CAFOs) and the risk of contaminated dust with pathogens such as Escherichia coli or Salmonella is becoming more of a concern. Studies have shown that crops planted adjacent to a cattle feedlot were contaminated with pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 which originated from the cattle feedlot. Further research is needed to evaluate novel bioremediation techniques to lower/prevent the risks of windborne contamination of dust and risks posed by untreated BSAAOs. One potential novel technique is the utilization of mycofiltration. The risks of pathogenic contamination of BSAAOs could be reduced by developing a cost-effective and sustainable mycofiltration practice using naturally formulated by-products from filamentous fungi. Ligninolytic white-rot fungi can degrade a wide variety of toxic or persistent environmental contaminants and degrade pollutants in the environment. Recent studies have shown that white-rot fungi can inhibit pathogenic E. coli in bioreactor systems. Exploring white-rot fungi as a biocontrol agent for on-farm mycofiltration may prove to be a cost-effective treatment and limit certain routes of contamination to the edible portion of the crop, certainly worthy of exploration in this review. Full article

The white-rot fungus Irpex lacteus is recognized for its strong ligninolytic and polysaccharide-degrading capacity, but the key advantages in degrading lignocellulose and the regulation of its enzyme systems remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified a rich repertoire of carbohydrate-active enzymes in the genome of I. lacteus QJ. Relative to other white-rot fungi, an expanded glycoside hydrolase gene family in I. lacteus QJ suggesting strong potential for lignocellulose degradation. When I. lacteus QJ was cultivated on glucose or wheat straw for 4 and 8 days, wheat straw strongly induced carbohydrate-active enzyme genes on day 4, while ligninolytic enzyme genes exhibited delayed upregulation on day 8. The cellobiose dehydrogenase plays an important role in the degradation processes. Its expression pattern is consistent with that of cellulase, and it can support peroxidase activity by providing H₂O₂. These findings reveal temporal coordination between polysaccharide- and lignin-degrading enzymes, providing new theoretical ideas for the application of I. lacteus during the degradation process. Our results not only improve the mechanistic understanding of fungal lignocellulose deconstruction but also inform strategies to enhance biological pretreatment of agricultural residues for biorefinery applications. Full article

This study investigates the diversity and provides a preliminary evaluation of the enzymatic potential of culturable fungi present in two-phase olive mill waste (TPOMW), a lignocellulose- and phenolic-rich agro-industrial by-product generated in large quantities in olive oil-producing countries. Ninety-four isolates, representing 31 species of the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mucoromycota, were obtained and identified by using ITS, 28S, tef1-α, tub2, rpb2, act, and/or cal sequences. Among the identified taxa, two new Trichoderma species within the Harzianum clade, namely Trichoderma amurcicola (phylogenetically related to T. simile and T. guizhouense) and Trichoderma olivarum (phylogenetically related to T. simmonsii), were described following a multilocus phylogenetic analysis combined with a study of their morphoanatomical features. A rather high phylogenetic divergence was detected in Candida boidinii, Pleurostoma richardsiae, and Mucor circinelloides, while Cladosporium limoniforme, Mucor pseudolusitanicus, Stagonosporopsis ailanthicola, and Talaromyces nanjingensis were recorded for the first time in TPOMW. A preliminary screening revealed 29 species with cellulolytic and/or xylanolytic activities; 26 species displayed dye decolorization capacity, while ligninolytic and laccase activities were restricted to a few taxa. The most promising degraders of lignocellulosics included strains of Cladosporium limoniforme, C. ramotenellum, Fuscoporia ferrea, Peniophora lycii, and Pseudophlebia setulosa. Fungi detected in TPOMW are promising biotechnological tools to be exploited in the frame of circular economy applications. Full article

Petroleum-contaminated soils are a major environmental concern worldwide. In Ecuador, extensive oil spills in the Amazon have led to widespread hydrocarbon pollution, threatening ecosystems and posing health risks to nearby communities. Conventional remediation techniques are resource-intensive and may render soil unsuitable for future use. In contrast, mycoremediation—using fungi to degrade toxic contaminants—offers a sustainable alternative. White-rot fungi, known for their ligninolytic enzyme systems such as laccases and peroxidases, are capable of degrading a wide range of organic pollutants, including petroleum hydrocarbons. This study assessed the enzymatic activity of 16 fungal strains from the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota isolated in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Plate-based screening and quantitative laccase activity assays confirmed positive enzymatic activity in all strains. The five strains with the highest enzymatic activity were Ganoderma cf. parvulum QCAM7791, Trametes menziesii QCAM7783, Trametes menziesii QCAM7788, Trametes menziesii QCAM7790, and Trametes meyenii QCAM7785, which were selected for a 60-day soil microcosm experiment under controlled laboratory conditions. These strains removed over 96% of total petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated soil, demonstrating high biodegradation efficiency. These results highlight the promise of native fungal strains as bioremediation agents for petroleum-contaminated soils. Further studies should focus on evaluating their performance under field conditions and their potential integration into large-scale remediation strategies. Full article

Alperujo, a solid by-product from the two-phase olive oil extraction process, poses significant environmental challenges due to its high organic load, phytotoxicity, and phenolic content. At the same time, it represents a promising feedstock for recovering value-added compounds such as phenols and volatile fatty acids (VFAs). When used as a substrate for white rot fungi (WRF), it also produces ligninolytic enzymes. This study explores the use of two native WRF, Anthracophyllum discolor and Stereum hirsutum, for the biotransformation of alperujo under solid-state fermentation conditions, with and without supplementation of copper and manganese, two cofactors known to enhance fungal enzymatic activity. S. hirsutum stood out for its ability to release high concentrations of phenolic compounds (up to 6001 ± 236 mg gallic acid eq L⁻¹) and VFAs (up to 1627 ± 325 mg L⁻¹) into the aqueous extract, particularly with metal supplementation. In contrast, A. discolor was more effective in degrading phenolic compounds within the solid matrix, achieving a 41% reduction over a 30-day period. However, its ability to accumulate phenolics and VFAs in the extract was limited. Both WRF exhibited increased enzymatic activities (particularly Laccase and Manganese Peroxidase) with the addition of Cu-Mn, highlighting the potential of the aqueous extract as a natural source of biocatalysts. Phytotoxicity assays using Solanum lycopersicum seeds confirmed a partial detoxification of the treated alperujo. However, none of the fungi could entirely eliminate inhibitory effects on their own, suggesting the need for complementary stabilization steps before agricultural reuse. Overall, the results indicate that S. hirsutum, especially when combined with metal supplementation, is better suited for valorizing alperujo through the recovery of bioactive compounds. Meanwhile, A. discolor may be more suitable for detoxifying the solid phase strategies. These findings support the integration of fungal pretreatment into biorefinery schemes that valorize agroindustrial residues while mitigating environmental issues. Full article

Water quality is essential for safeguarding human health and ensuring the stability of ecosystems. Nonetheless, the rising prevalence of emerging contaminants, particularly pharmaceutical compounds, has raised serious environmental concerns due to their bioactivity, widespread use, persistence, and potential toxicity. Among these, acetaminophen (paracetamol) is one of the most frequently detected pharmaceutical pollutants in aquatic environments. Among the various degradation strategies explored, biological methods, especially those involving white-rot fungi, have shown substantial promise owing to their production of ligninolytic enzymes capable of degrading complex pollutants. This study investigates the use of laccases from Ganoderma parvulum, covalently immobilized on chitosan microspheres, for acetaminophen degradation. The immobilization involved a 10% crosslinking agent, 60-min crosslinking time, and 10,000 U/L enzyme concentration, resulting in an immobilization efficiency of 123%, 203%, and 218%, respectively. The immobilized enzymes displayed enhanced stability across pH 3–8 and temperatures between 20 and 60 °C. Biodegradation assays achieved 97% acetaminophen removal within four hours. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (¹H NMR and COSY) confirmed structural transformation. The enzymes also retained over 95% catalytic activity after multiple reuse cycles. These findings highlight the novel application of laccases as efficient and reusable biocatalysts for pharmaceutical pollutant removal, providing valuable insights into the mechanisms of enzymatic environmental remediation. Full article

The most important ligninolytic enzymes in lignin degradation include laccases and peroxidases (lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, versatile peroxidase). White-rot fungi (e.g., Cerrena sp., Phlebia sp. or Trametes sp.) are their main source in nature. The ability of ligninolytic enzymes to degrade both phenolic and non-phenolic compounds has found its application in sustainable agriculture. In recent years, ligninolytic enzymes’ important role has been demonstrated in the biodegradation of lignin, a poorly degradable component of plant biomass, and in removing hazardous environmental pollutants that threaten human health. These enzymes can be successfully used in waste management, composting, improving soil health and fertility, or bioremediation. The challenges of applying lignin-degrading enzymes such as laccases and peroxidases include their stability and resistance to harsh conditions. Still, the rapid development of biotechnological technologies offers the tools to overcome them. Applying biological solutions in agricultural systems involving microorganisms and their metabolic products will significantly reduce the environmental impact and develop a circular economy. Full article

Background/Objectives: Mycotoxins, secondary metabolites synthesized by filamentous fungi, have been classified as dangerous substances and proven to be carcinogenic, as well as to have genotoxic, nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, teratogenic, and mutagenic properties. Despite numerous trials to develop an effective and safe-for-human-health method of detoxification, there is still a high risk associated with the occurrence of these toxins in food and feed. Biological methods of food preservation are an alternative option to conventional chemical and physical methods, characterized by their less negative impact on human health as well as their high efficiency against filamentous fungi and other foodborne pathogens. Mycoremediation is a new biotechnique based on the capability of fungi to detoxify matrices from various pullulans. Ligninolytic enzymes produced by white rot fungi (WRF) characterize a high efficiency in the degradation of various mycotoxins. Methods: In our study, Pleurotus ostreatus, as a representative of WRF, was cultivated on a medium contaminated by AFB1 and ZEN (mushroom substrate and maize) in a few variants of concentration. After the cultivation, medium and fruiting bodies were collected and analyzed with the usage of HPLC and LC/MS methods. Results: The reduction oscillated between 53 and 87% (AFB1) and 73 and 97% (ZEN) depending on the initial concentration of toxins in the medium. Grown fruiting bodies contained insignificant amounts of both toxins. Conclusions: These findings confirm the potential of P. ostreatus as an effective biological agent for reducing mycotoxins in contaminated medium, highlighting its applicability in developing sustainable and safe methods for detoxification. Full article

White rot fungi, especially representatives of the genus Trametes spp. (Polyporaceae), are effective destructors of various xenobiotics, including oestrogens (phenol-like steroids), which are now widespread in the environment and pose a serious threat to the health of humans, animals and aquatic organisms. In this work, the ability of the white rot fungus Trametes hirsuta LE-BIN 072 to transform oestrone (E1) and 17β-oestradiol (E2), the main endocrine disruptors, was shown. More than 90% of the initial E1 and E2 were removed by the fungus during the first 24 h of transformation. The transformation process proceeded predominantly in the direction of the initial substrates’ detoxification, with the radical oxidative coupling of E1 and E2 as well as their metabolites and the formation of less toxic dimers in various combinations. A number of minor metabolites, in particular, less toxic estriol (E3), were identified by HPLC-MS. The formation of E1 from E2 and vice versa were shown. The exoproteome of the white rot fungus during the transformation of oestrogens was studied in detail for the first time. The contribution of ligninolytic peroxidases (MnP5, MnP7 and VP2) to the process of the extracellular detoxification of oestrogens and their possible metabolites is highlighted. Thus, the studied strain appears to be a promising mycodetoxicant of phenol-like steroids in aquatic environments. Full article

White-rot fungi (WRF) are increasingly recognized for their biotechnological potential due to the wide range of applications of ligninolytic enzymes. The addition of different metals involved in the functioning of ligninolytic enzymes, mainly copper and manganese, has been widely studied to maximize the enzymatic activities of the WRF. This review aims to provide information on the effect of metal-fungi interaction mechanisms that justify the effects of enzymatic activity. The addition of copper is associated with increased laccase activity, with reported improvements in the laccase activity compared to controls without metal addition of up to 100% at doses between 0.5–1 mM. The addition of manganese resulted in an improvement in manganese peroxidase activity with respect to the control at the wide range of 1–18.2 mM. Furthermore, enzymatic activity was generally favored by using substrates with lignocellulosic fibers with respect to synthetic culture medium. Quantifying the concentration of metals in the substrate is required to monitor bioavailable metals for fungi in these assays accurately, making an external contribution less necessary. Full article

Lignocellulosic biomass is contemplated to be an inexpensive and copious feedstock that can be used for numerous industrial applications. However, lignin forms the lignin sheath and provides a physical barrier to enzymatic hydrolysis. In addition, lignin physically blocks cellulase, preventing it from being combined with the substrate in a process known as non-productive binding. Therefore, the depletion of lignin is a crucial method for obtaining fermentable sugars from the lignocellulosic biomass. Different white-rot fungi secrete different sets of lignin-mineralizing enzymes and each fungus secretes one or more of the three enzymes essential for lignin degradation. Among efficient redox enzymes, versatile peroxidase is extensively studied for its ability to degrade aromatics without the need for a mediator or polyvalent catalytic site. However, the presence of versatile peroxidase in F. spp. has not been studied. This study was planned with the objective of screening and comparing the production of versatile peroxidase enzymes from F. spp. and a standard culture of Pleurotus ostreatus MTCC-142. These fungal strains were first screened on solid media containing tannic acid, malachite green, or bromocresol green. The potency index for the tannic acid, malachite green, and bromocresol green on the 16th day of incubation was reported to be 1.28, 1.07, 1.09, and 1.10, respectively. Versatile peroxidase production patterns were investigated under solid state fermentation conditions for a period of 25 days at different temperatures ranging from 10 to 35 °C. The highest versatile peroxidase activity (592 UL⁻¹) in F. sp. was observed at 30 °C after the 7th day of incubation. The molecular confirmation showed the presence of the vp gene in F. sp. along with Pleurotus ostreatus MTCC-142. The results determined that F. sp. possesses a versatile peroxidase enzyme and is able to degrade lignin efficiently, and thus it could be utilized as an alternative to other ligninolytic enzyme-producing fungi. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficiency of two types of vertical downflow wetlands (VDFWs) (with the presence of ligninolytic fungus Trametes versicolor and planted with Iris sibirica) for the treatment of tequila vinasses (TVs) as a secondary treatment; control systems with only a filter medium were also included. The systems operated with a 7-day run/resting mode of operation. Various water quality parameters were analyzed in both the influent and the effluents, namely total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD₅), total organic carbon (TOC), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), true color and turbidity, total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), etc. The two types of VDFWs as well as the control treatment were effective in reducing the different pollutants (p < 0.05); however, planted systems showed a tendency toward higher efficiencies. With an influent concentration of 49,000 mg L⁻¹ and an organic loading rate of 4942 g COD m⁻²d⁻¹, the COD reduction was around 40% in the planted systems, while in the other two, the reduction was 35%. Furthermore, TSS removals were 36, 20 and 16% in the VDFWs with vegetation, ligninolytic fungus and control systems, respectively. These results suggest that the fungus Trametes versicolor did not develop the desirable enzymatic expression for pollutant removal, probably as a result of the absence of aerobic conditions in the systems. Therefore, more research is needed to achieve a better fungal performance in VDFWs. Full article

Substantial amounts of organo-pollutants, often persistent and toxic, are generated globally each year, posing a threat to soil, water, groundwater, and air. The pollutants encompass a wide range of substances from various sources, which include solid as well as liquid ones, such as landfill leachates and wastewaters. The compounds include paper and pulp mill byproducts, pharmaceuticals, diverse types of plastics, hydrocarbons, pigments, and dyes, as well as pesticides and insecticides. Fungal bioremediation stands out as a promising technology that uses the metabolic potential of fungi to eliminate or mitigate the impact of pollutants. Notably, species of the genus Pycnoporus exhibit significant capabilities for degrading a broad spectrum of toxic molecules. This degradation is facilitated by released ligninolytic enzymes, especially laccase, and cellular enzymes pertaining to the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase system. The laccase, which is overproduced by the genus Pycnoporus, is quite remarkable for its high redox potential. The objective of this review is to highlight the proficiency of the Pycnoporus genus in the degradation of pollutants in submerged and solid-state fermentation. Recent studies conducted over the past decade consistently highlight the Pycnoporus genus as a robust contender in the realm of white biotechnology. Full article