Abstract
Filamentous fungi play a central role in biogeochemical cycles as decomposers. Unlike yeasts and bacteria, they can colonize and decompose solid substrates. The colonization begins with contact between the fungal hyphae and the substrate. At the hyphal tips, where the cell surface interfaces with the substrate, the fungus recognizes nutrients and environmental information and responds accordingly. This mode of survival is extremely diverse. Filamentous fungi encompass a diverse range of organisms, including saprophytic species, and ecologically specialized groups. These include plant pathogenic fungi with a strong affinity for living hosts; industrial filamentous fungi, with high substrate degradation and material production capabilities; and wood-decaying fungi, which have evolved lignin degradation capabilities. Traditionally, these phenomena have been studied in isolation across academic disciplines, each with distinct objectives and employing specific fungal species and methods. However, no comprehensive study has examined filamentous fungi as a unified research subject, nor has previous research elucidated the basic molecular principles of the processes occurring at substrate interfaces. Furthermore, little is understood about how the ability to recognize environments and solid substrates evolved through adaptation, or how evolutionary history related cell-surface interactions. In this research project, we investigated the mechanisms of environmental and substrate recognition, colonization, and decomposition in filamentous fungi, using ecologically and phylogenetically comparable characteristic fungal species. Particular emphasis was placed on analyzing their cell surface structures. Based on these insights, we developed preliminary technologies that enhance fungal enzyme productivity and modify the physical properties of filamentous fungal-derived materials by genetically engineering cell surface structures.
