Grand Challenges in Fungal Biotechnology

Grand Challenges in Fungal Biotechnology
Author: Helena Nevalainen
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 535
Release: 2020-01-08
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030295419

This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the major applications and potential of fungal biotechnology. The respective chapters report on the latest advances and opportunities in each topic area, proposing new and sustainable solutions to some of the major challenges faced by modern society. Aimed at researchers and biotechnologists in academia and industry, it represents essential reading for anyone interested in fungal biotechnology, as well as those working within the broader area of microbial biotechnology. Written in an accessible language, the book also offers a valuable reference resource for decision-makers in government and at non-governmental organizations who are involved in the development of cleaner technologies and the global bioeconomy. The 21st century is characterized by a number of critical challenges in terms of human health, developing a sustainable bioeconomy, facilitating agricultural production, and establishing practices that support a cleaner environment. While there are chemical solutions to some of these challenges, developing bio-based approaches is becoming increasingly important. Filamentous fungi, ‘the forgotten kingdom,’ are a group of unique organisms whose full potential has yet to be revealed. Some key properties, such as their exceptional capacity to secrete proteins into the external environment, have already been successfully harnessed for the production of industrial enzymes and cellulosic biofuels. Many further aspects discussed here –such as feeding the hungry with fungal protein, and the potential applications of the various small molecules produced by fungi –warrant further exploration. In turn, the book covers the use of fungal cell factories to produce foreign molecules, e.g. for therapeutics. Strategies including molecular approaches to strain improvement, and recent advances in high-throughput technologies, which are key to finding better products and producers, are also addressed. Lastly, the book discusses the advent of synthetic biology, which is destined to greatly expand the scope of fungal biotechnology. The chapter “Fungal Biotechnology in Space: Why and How?” is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License at link.springer.com.

Grand Challenges in Fungal Biotechnology

Grand Challenges in Fungal Biotechnology
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 534
Release: 2020
Genre: Electronic books
ISBN: 9783030295424

This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the major applications and potential of fungal biotechnology. The respective chapters report on the latest advances and opportunities in each topic area, proposing new and sustainable solutions to some of the major challenges faced by modern society. Aimed at researchers and biotechnologists in academia and industry, it represents essential reading for anyone interested in fungal biotechnology, as well as those working within the broader area of microbial biotechnology. Written in an accessible language, the book also offers a valuable reference resource for decision-makers in government and at non-governmental organizations who are involved in the development of cleaner technologies and the global bioeconomy. The 21st century is characterized by a number of critical challenges in terms of human health, developing a sustainable bioeconomy, facilitating agricultural production, and establishing practices that support a cleaner environment. While there are chemical solutions to some of these challenges, developing bio-based approaches is becoming increasingly important. Filamentous fungi, 'the forgotten kingdom, ' are a group of unique organisms whose full potential has yet to be revealed. Some key properties, such as their exceptional capacity to secrete proteins into the external environment, have already been successfully harnessed for the production of industrial enzymes and cellulosic biofuels. Many further aspects discussed here -such as feeding the hungry with fungal protein, and the potential applications of the various small molecules produced by fungi -warrant further exploration. In turn, the book covers the use of fungal cell factories to produce foreign molecules, e.g. for therapeutics. Strategies including molecular approaches to strain improvement, and recent advances in high-throughput technologies, which are key to finding better products and producers, are also addressed. Lastly, the book discusses the advent of synthetic biology, which is destined to greatly expand the scope of fungal biotechnology. The chapter "Fungal Biotechnology in Space: Why and How?" is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License at link.springer.com.

Grand Challenges in Marine Biotechnology

Grand Challenges in Marine Biotechnology
Author: Pabulo H. Rampelotto
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 621
Release: 2018-05-15
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3319690752

This book serves as essential reading for research scientists and biotechnologists from both academia and industry working in marine biotechnology and related disciplines. The book discusses recent advances and challenges in terms of science, technology, innovation, and policy for the development of the field; and how marine biotechnology may provide new solutions to some of the grand challenges faced by our society. Written in an accessible language, the book is also recommended as a reference text for decision-makers in government and non-governmental organizations in their efforts to foster the development of a global blue economy. With less than 5 % of the vast and rich marine environment explored, our seas and oceans represent a virtually unexplored resource for the discovery of novel product, processes, and development of bio-inspired synthetic drugs with biotechnological potential. As such, the marine environment has been considered Earth's last frontier of exploration. Recent advances in molecular techniques are providing the necessary tools to access on a larger scale the still-untapped ocean resources and, consequently, unveil the promise of the blue biotechnology. Governments are recognizing the potential of marine biotechnology to provide solutions to some of the Grand Challenges of the 21st Century such as sustainable energy and food sources, identification of novel drugs for improved health treatments, and providing new industrial materials and processes. For this reason, advances in marine biotechnology may foster the much-needed source of innovation and economic growth in many countries, and pave the way towards the development of a global blue economy, i.e. a new economic model based on the sustainable exploration of our ocean ecosystems.

Fungi in Extreme Environments: Ecological Role and Biotechnological Significance

Fungi in Extreme Environments: Ecological Role and Biotechnological Significance
Author: Sonia M. Tiquia-Arashiro
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 626
Release: 2019-07-22
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030190307

Over the last decades, scientists have been intrigued by the fascinating organisms that inhabit extreme environments. These organisms, known as extremophiles, thrive in habitats which for other terrestrial life-forms are intolerably hostile or even lethal. Based on such technological advances, the study of extremophiles has provided, over the last few years, ground-breaking discoveries that challenge the paradigms of modern biology. In the new bioeconomy, fungi in general, play a very important role in addressing major global challenges, being instrumental for improved resource efficiency, making renewable substitutes for products from fossil resources, upgrading waste streams to valuable food and feed ingredients, counteracting life-style diseases and antibiotic resistance through strengthening the gut biota, making crop plants more robust to survive climate change conditions, and functioning as host organisms for production of new biological drugs. This range of new uses of fungi all stand on the shoulders of the efforts of mycologists over generations. The book is organized in five parts: (I) Biodiversity, Ecology, Genetics and Physiology of Extremophilic Fungi, (II) Biosynthesis of Novel Biomolecules and Extremozymes (III) Bioenergy and Biofuel synthesis, and (IV) Wastewater and biosolids treatment, and (V) Bioremediation.

Advances in Fungal Biotechnology for Industry, Agriculture, and Medicine

Advances in Fungal Biotechnology for Industry, Agriculture, and Medicine
Author: Jan S. Tkacz
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 455
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1441988599

In the past half century, filamentous fungi have grown in commercial importance not only in the food industry but also as sources of pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of infectious and metabolic diseases and of specialty proteins and enzymes used to process foods, fortify detergents, and perform biotransformations. The commercial impact of molds is also measured on a negative scale since some of these organisms are significant as pathogens of crop plants, agents of food spoilage, and sources of toxic and carcinogenic compounds. Recent advances in the molecular genetics of filamentous fungi are finding increased application in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and enzyme industries, and this trend promises to continue as the genomics of fungi is explored and new techniques to speed genetic manipulation become available. This volume focuses on the filamentous fungi and highlights the advances of the past decade, both in methodology and in the understanding of genomic organization and regulation of gene and pathway expression.

Advances in Fungal Biotechnology

Advances in Fungal Biotechnology
Author: Mahendra Rai
Publisher: I. K. International Pvt Ltd
Total Pages: 523
Release: 2009
Genre: Science
ISBN: 8189866532

In the past two decades, fungal biotechnology has progressed at a fast pace. Advances in Fungal Biotechnology provides coverage of these advances, and of the multiple roles played by fungi. This includes the industrial applications of fungi for the production of pigments, citric acid and vitamins, the beneficial effects of mycorrhizal fungi, mycoviruses, and biotransformation. Key features: Focuses on Biocontrol strategies of fungi. Deals with the role of fungal enzymesxylanases and laccases. Discusses mycoviruses as an emerging tool for controlling pathogenic fungi. Incorporates industrial applications, such as the production of pigments, citric acid and vitamins. Addresses biotransformation by fungi. Illustrates the role of mycorrhizal fungi in revegetation programmes. Covers health implications (allergy, mycotoxins, tinea infections). Examines the role of the internet in Mycology.

From Ethnomycology to Fungal Biotechnology

From Ethnomycology to Fungal Biotechnology
Author: Jagjit Singh
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 291
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1461548152

Fungi playa major role in the sustainability of the biosphere, and mycorrhizal fungi are essential for the growth of many of our woods and forests. The applications of fungi in agriculture, industry and biotechnology remain of paramount importance, as does their use as a source of drugs and to help clean up our environment. This volume contains key papers from the conference 'From Ethnomycology to Fungal Biotechnology: Exploiting Fungi from Natural Resources for Novel Products'. This was the first international scientific conference covering the transfer of traditional remedies and processes in ethnomycology to modern fungal biotechnology. The conference was held at Simla, Himachal Pradesh, India from 15 to 16 December 1997. The key subject areas addressed in the conference were the issues of exploring and exploiting fungal diversity for novel leads to new antibiotics, enzymes, medicines and a range of other leads for wood preservation, biological control, agricultural biotechnology and the uses of fungi in the food industry. The conference programme included key-note presentations followed by poster sessions and general discussion. The book is broadly based, covering five main areas: Ethnomycology, Fungal Biotechnology, Biological Control, Mycorrhizal Fungi and Fungal Pests. There is no doubt that in the past fungi have played a key role in ethnomycological remedies and that in the future they will continue to attract the interest of a wide range of disciplines ranging from environmental conservation, agriculture and the food industry to wood preservation and aerobiological studies.

Biotechnology in Space

Biotechnology in Space
Author: Günter Ruyters
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 122
Release: 2017-12-21
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3319640542

This book summarizes the early successes, drawbacks and accomplishments in cell biology and cell biotechnology achieved by the latest projects performed on the International Space Station ISS. It also depicts outcomes of experiments in tissue engineering, cancer research and drug design and reveals the chances that research in Space offers for medical application on Earth. This SpringerBriefs volume provides an overview on the latest international activities in Space and gives an outlook on the potential of biotechnological research in Space in future. This volume is written for students and researchers in Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Pharmacology and may specifically be of interest to scientists with focus on protein sciences, crystallization, tissue engineering, drug design and cancer research.

An Introduction to Fungal Biotechnology

An Introduction to Fungal Biotechnology
Author: M. Wainwright
Publisher:
Total Pages: 224
Release: 1992
Genre: Medical
ISBN:

An Introduction to Fungal Biotechnology M. Wainwright, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, UK Mycelial fungi and yeasts have long been important to man through their use in baking and brewing. More recently these organisms have been exploited further through their use in the production of antibiotics and biochemicals such as citric acid. Since the introduction of technology which enables these organisms to be genetically engineered, the practical applications of fungi have increased more dramatically. Fungi now play a more important role in the manufacture of a wide range of products by fermentation, in agriculture through their use as pest and pathogen control agents and as growth enhancers, in environmental management and in the food industry. Previous texts on fungal biotechnology have been largely restricted to the role of these organisms in the fermentation industry. By contrast, this book presents a comprehensive and wide-ranging introduction to the use of fungi in various areas of biotechnology emphasising their recent use in, for example, the bioremediation of polluted soils, fossil fuel conversion, and their use as biological control agents and inoculants in agriculture. An Introduction to Fungal Biotechnology is well illustrated and written in a readable and easily accessible style. Although it is particularly suitable for undergraduate students, this book will also be of interest to postgraduate students and research workers who require an overview of the traditional and more recent practical applications of fungi and insight into potential areas of their future use.