Filamentous fungi as cell factories for heterologous protein production

• Published in: Trends in Biotechnology Vol. 20; no. 5; pp. 200 - 206
• Main Authors: Punt, Peter J, van Biezen, Nick, Conesa, Ana, Albers, Alwin, Mangnus, Jeroen, van den Hondel, Cees
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-05-2002; Elsevier Science; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Aspergillus; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Cloning; controlled fermentation; cytokines; Enzymes; Factories; Fermentation - genetics; Fermentation - physiology; Food; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi; Fungi - genetics; Fungi - metabolism; gene technology; Genes; Genetic diversity; Genetic engineering; Genetic technics; Genomes; GRAS status; Humans; industrial enzymes; Interleukin-6 - analysis; Interleukin-6 - biosynthesis; Interleukin-6 - genetics; Metabolites; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Microbial engineering. Fermentation and microbial culture technology; Microorganisms; Modification of gene expression level; peroxidases; Peroxidases - analysis; Peroxidases - biosynthesis; Peroxidases - genetics; Protein Conformation; protein secretion; Proteins; Recombinant Proteins - analysis; Recombinant Proteins - biosynthesis; Recombinant Proteins - genetics; Technological change; Yeast; Aspergillus; Biotechnology; controlled fermentation; Cell biology; Genetics; peroxidases; cytokines; industrial enzymes; Bioinformatics; gene technology; protein secretion; GRAS status; Human; Molecular processing; Enzyme; Manganese peroxidase; Refolding; Cytokine; Basidiomycetes; Glycosylation; Review; Gene expression; Fungi; Interleukin 6; Peroxidases; Aspergillus nidulans; Phanerochaete chrysosporium; Production; Microorganism culture; Genetic engineering; Fungi Imperfecti; Oxidoreductases; Recombinant protein; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0167-7799; 1879-3096
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-7799(02)01933-9

Filamentous fungi have been used as sources of metabolites and enzymes for centuries. For about two decades, molecular genetic tools have enabled us to use these organisms to express extra copies of both endogenous and exogenous genes. This review of current practice reveals that molecular tools have enabled several new developments. But it has been process development that has driven the final breakthrough to achieving commercially relevant quantities of protein. Recent research into gene expression in filamentous fungi has explored their wealth of genetic diversity with a view to exploiting them as expression hosts and as a source of new genes. Inevitably, the progress in the ‘genomics’ technology will further develop high-throughput technologies for these organisms.
Filamentous fungi have become preferred host organisms for protein production through a combination of molecular tools and process development.