Metabolic Potential of Halophilic Filamentous Fungi—Current Perspective |
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Authors: | Weronika
liewska Katarzyna Struszczyk-
wita Olga Marchut-Mikoajczyk |
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Affiliation: | Institute of Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Lodz University of Technology, Stefanowskiego 2/22, 90-537 Lodz, Poland; (W.Ś.); (O.M.-M.) |
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Abstract: | Salty environments are widely known to be inhospitable to most microorganisms. For centuries salt has been used as a food preservative, while highly saline environments were considered uninhabited by organisms, and if habited, only by prokaryotic ones. Nowadays, we know that filamentous fungi are widespread in many saline habitats very often characterized also by other extremes, for example, very low or high temperature, lack of light, high pressure, or low water activity. However, fungi are still the least understood organisms among halophiles, even though they have been shown to counteract these unfavorable conditions by producing multiple secondary metabolites with interesting properties or unique biomolecules as one of their survival strategies. In this review, we focused on biomolecules obtained from halophilic filamentous fungi such as enzymes, pigments, biosurfactants, and osmoprotectants. |
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Keywords: | halophiles filamentous fungi biomolecules |
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