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Major Habitats and Diversity of Thermophilic Fungi

Extremophilic Fungi: Ecology, Physiology and Applications, Page: 55-75
2022
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Book Chapter Description

More than 80% of the earth surface has extreme environmental conditions, not conducive for normal life, as assessed on anthropogenic parameters. Along with the discovery of novel bacteria and archaea from various extreme environments, it has been found that fungi also are capable of colonizing such areas. These fungi have been shown to have diverse phylogenetic characteristics, belonging to many genera. Conditions of extremes of pH, temperature, pressure, and radiation necessitate special strategies for survival, involving genetic changes, which can result in novel natural products. Thermophilic fungi occurrence is generally in soil or in habitats where decomposition of plant material such as grains, compost, husk, municipal refuse, and other organic material takes place, under humid and aerobic environment conditions. In these habitats, thermophiles occur as either resting propagules or as active mycelia depending on the nutrients and environmental condition. The occurrence of thermophilic fungi is due to the dissemination of propagules from masses of organic material. Thermophilic fungi belong to various genera such as Zygomycetes, Ascomycetes, and Deuteromycetes. Metabolites from these organisms, not found in normal habitats, can be of good value. Based on the biological activity and structure of compounds isolated from such extremophilic fungi, more than 150 compounds have been documented from thermophilic species of Penicillium, Aspergillus, and others. The current chapter focuses on the major habitats of thermophilic fungi, their ecology, physiology, and molecular biology, elicitation of specialized metabolites from them, and their various documented activities.

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