Fungal Biotechnology for Industrial Enzyme Production: Focus on (Hemi)cellulase Production Strategies, Advances and Challenges
Microbial enzymes catalyzing a variety of different chemical reactions contribute significantly in modern industry by improving existing processes. In addition, the use of enzymes in replacement of traditional chemical or mechanical processes helps to reduce energy demands and environmental pollution. However, enzymes must compete commercially with relatively inexpensive traditional industrial technologies. Meeting economical and commercial feasibility criteria depends on a number of enzymatic properties including the specificity to the substrate, stability in industrial enzymatic reaction conditions and catalytic efficiency. The microorganism used as an enzyme production host should be suitable for industrial scale fermentation. Filamentous fungi are being developed as one of the best enzyme production systems due to their ability to secrete high quantities of enzymes suitable for industrial applications. The industrial importance of filamentous fungi also includes the development and commercialization of new products derived from genetically engineered fungal strains expressing modified homologous and/or heterologous enzymes. In this chapter we will discuss the challenges and biotechnological approaches used in development of novel or improved enzymes for industrial applications as well as fungal strains with increased enzyme production and secretion capacity.