Fungi in hypogean environment: Bioprospection perspective

Abstract

Fungi are ubiquitous in their presence almost similar to bacterial distribution. With regard to the products and metabolites that have been bioprospected and utilized for human welfare, fungi are always the first among the living organisms that have benefitted mankind. The exploration and distribution of fungi from the epigean environment is well known along with the targeted species of interest which have been manipulated for optimizing the production of metabolic by-products. However, when it comes to the hypogean or subterranean habitats, literature on the nature, type, and distribution of fungi is still scarce. Considering the benefits that can be offered by fungi from extreme environments as reported in literature, it becomes more relevant to explore and document fungal diversity from hypogean habitats such as the caves. This niche may provide vistas for discovery of products and metabolites hitherto unknown to mycoscience and mycotechnology.