Metabolic shift towards increased biohydrogen production during dark fermentation in the anaerobic fungus Neocallimastix cameroonii G341.

Background: Anaerobic fungi of the phylum Neocallimastigomycota have a high biotechnological potential due to their robust lignocellulose degrading capabilities and the production of several valuable metabolites like hydrogen, acetate, formate, lactate, and ethanol. The metabolism of these fungi, however, remains poorly understood due to limitations of the current cultivation strategies in still-standing bottles, thereby restricting the comprehensive evaluation of cultivation conditions.

Results: We describe the analysis of growth conditions and their influence on the metabolism of the previously isolated fungus Neocallimastix cameroonii G341.

Isolation and Biochemical Characterization of Six Anaerobic Fungal Strains from Zoo Animal Feces.

Anaerobic fungi are prime candidates for the conversion of agricultural waste products to biofuels. Despite the increasing interest in these organisms, their growth requirements and metabolism remain largely unknown. The isolation of five strains of anaerobic fungi and their identification as , , , , and , is described.

Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of a Novel GH43 β-Xylosidase From .

Degradation of lignocellulosic materials to release fermentable mono- and disaccharides is a decisive step toward a sustainable bio-based economy, thereby increasing the demand of robust and highly active lignocellulolytic enzymes. Anaerobic fungi of the phylum are potent biomass degraders harboring a huge variety of such enzymes. Compared to cellulose, hemicellulose degradation has received much less attention; therefore, the focus of this study has been the enzymatic xylan degradation of anaerobic fungi as these organisms produce some of the most effective known hydrolytic enzymes.

gen. nov, sp. nov., the First Cultured Representative of the Uncultured SK4 Clade from Aoudad Sheep and Alpaca.

We report on the isolation of the previously-uncultured SK4 lineage, by two independent research groups, from a wild aoudad sheep rumen sample (Texas, USA) and an alpaca fecal sample (Baden-Württemberg, Germany). Isolates from both locations showed near-identical morphological and microscopic features, forming medium-sized (2-5 mm) white filamentous colonies with a white center of sporangia, on agar roll tubes and a heavy biofilm in liquid media. Microscopic analysis revealed monocentric thalli, and spherical polyflagellated zoospores with 7-20 flagella.