# Anaerobic fungi: effective warriors in lignocellulosic biomass degradation and fermentation

## TL;DR

Anaerobic fungi help break down plant matter in animals and can be used to produce biofuels and chemicals, offering environmental and industrial benefits.

## Contribution

Highlights the unique biotechnological potential of anaerobic fungi in biomass conversion and biofuel production.

## Key findings

- Anaerobic fungi have complex enzyme systems that efficiently convert lignocellulosic biomass.
- They can be used to produce biofuels like biomethane and bioethanol through controlled microbial interactions.
- Their use may help reduce methane emissions in ruminants and support a circular bioeconomy.

## Abstract

The significant advancements in understanding the roles of anaerobic fungi (AF) within microbial ecology have opened numerous avenues for biotechnological exploitation, particularly in enhancing the productivity of livestock. The efficient, unique, and complex enzyme systems of AF play a determining role in the metabolic conversion of lignocellulosic plant matter into animal products, such as milk and meat by mammalian herbivores. Mitigation of methane emissions through microbial or dietary strategies in ruminants is a major environmental climate change issue. In turn, controlled management of the interkingdom syntrophic interactions among the eukaryotic AF, prokaryotic bacteria, and archaea can lead to the production of valuable biofuels, (biomethane, biohydrogen, and bioethanol), and organic acids. These products can also serve as building blocks in numerous processes to generate high value chemicals in circular bioeconomy.

Review of the remarkable, unique properties of the unicellular eukaryote anaerobic gut fungi, their role in microbial ecology, potential biotechnological exploitations, and recommendations for further research.