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Morphological Engineering of Filamentous Fungi: Research Progress and Perspectives

Summary

Filamentous fungi are microscopic organisms used to produce important enzymes and chemicals in industries. However, their growth forms during fermentation vary significantly and affect product quality. Scientists are developing methods to control how these fungi grow, both by adjusting fermentation conditions like temperature and oxygen levels, and by using genetic engineering to modify their growth patterns. These approaches help improve industrial production of medicines, enzymes, and other useful compounds.

Background

Filamentous fungi are important cell factories for producing high-value enzymes and chemicals used in food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. Under submerged fermentation, these fungi exhibit diverse morphologies influenced by environmental factors, which affect fermentation system properties and product synthesis.

Objective

This review summarizes mechanisms of mycelial morphogenesis and provides an overview of current developments in morphological regulation methods, including physicochemical and metabolic engineering approaches. The authors anticipate that advances in synthetic biology and genetic manipulation will accelerate morphological engineering in filamentous fungi.

Results

Physicochemical methods including particle addition, pH adjustment, aeration, and agitation can control morphology and improve product yields. Metabolic engineering targeting chitin synthase genes, calcium signaling pathways, and transcription factors (CrzA, PKA, LaeA) has been shown to modify morphology and enhance product synthesis in various fungal strains.

Conclusion

While traditional physicochemical approaches provide some morphological control, metabolic engineering at the genetic level offers more precise regulation. Future development of CRISPR/Cas9 systems and synthetic biology tools will enhance morphological engineering capabilities, though challenges remain regarding strain-specific optimization and dynamic morphology regulation during fermentation.
  • Published in:Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: PMID: 38693049
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