Anaerobic fungi, more specifically fungi of the phylum Neocallimastigomycota, have garnered increasing interest in the scientific community due to their effective degradation of lignocellulosic material. However, since much information about their genome and metabolism is not yet available, as appropriate genetic tools for analysis and genetic engineering have not yet been developed, their use is currently very limited. These fungi can synthesize a large number of enzymes for the degradation of plant biomass, many of which are enzymes that better-known and more commonly used aerobic fungi cannot synthesize. Recent studies have confirmed that they can even degrade lignin, which makes them even more interesting for the degradation of lignocellulosic material. The most promising possibilities of their biotechnological applications are in the fields of livestock and biofuel production, as the increasing need for optimization calls for new solutions for which anaerobic fungi have great untapped potential. The aim of this review is to provide a brief description of anaerobic fungi and their general characteristics, focusing on their potential applications in biotechnology, particularly in livestock and biofuel production. So far, they have shown their greatest potential in the areas of feed processing and rumen population manipulation, as well as in biofuel production, with most studies focusing on biogas and alcohol production.
|
