The lignocellulolytic system of thermophilic fungi and actinomycetes: Structure, regulation, and biotechnological applications

Abstract

Thermophilic fungi and actinomycetes have been extensively studied in vegetal biomass bioconversion processes for the formulation of industrial enzymatic pools and as gene donors for the heterologous expression of thermostable enzymes. The production of second-generation biofuels and the application in industries such as the textile are of particular interest. In this chapter, we have reviewed the gene structure, gene regulation, biochemical properties, and biotechnological applications of lignocellulolytic enzymes and other potential industrial hydrolases of thermophilic fungi and actinobacteria. Besides Humicola grisea var. thermoidea, the object of study of our group for several years, we focus the following fungi: Humicola insolens, Aureobasidium pullulans, Candida peltata, Chaetomium thermophilum, Coprinopsis cinerea, Ganoderma colossum, Malbranchea pulchella var. sulfurea, Melanocarpus albomyces, Rhizomucor pusillus, Myceliophthora thermophila, Myriococcum thermophilum, Penicillium duponti, Sporotrichum pulverulentum, Sporotrichum thermophile, Stilbella thermophila, Talaromyces emersonii, Thermoascus aurantiacus, Thermomyces lanuginosus, and Thielavia terrestris. Among the actinomycetes, we explored Acidothermus cellulolyticus, Cellulomonas spp., Streptomyces spp., Thermobifida fusca, and Thermomonospora curvata.