Cover Page

Fungi

Biology and Applications

 

Third Edition

 

 

Edited by

Kevin Kavanagh

 

Department of Biology
Maynooth University
Maynooth
County Kildare
Ireland

 

 

 

 

 

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List of Contributors

Professor Khaled H. Abu‐Elteen, Department of Biological Science, Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.

Dr Johan Baars, Plant Research International, Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Professor Catherine Bachewich, Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.

Dr Virginia Bugeja, School of Life Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK.

Professor David C. Coleman, Microbiology Research Laboratory, Dublin Dental Hospital, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

Dr Brendan Curran, School of Biological and Chemical Science, Queen Mary, University of London, London, England.

Professor Fiona Doohan, Department of Plant Pathology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland.

Professor Sean Doyle, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland.

Dr David Fitzpatrick, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Co. Kildare, Ireland.

Dr Mawieh Hamad, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Dr Karina A. Horgan, Alltech Biotechnology Centre, Dunboyne, Co. Meath, Ireland.

Dr Shauna M. McKelvey, Alltech Biotechnology Centre, Dunboyne, Co. Meath, Ireland.

Dr Mohammad G. Mohammad, Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Professor Gary P. Moran, Microbiology Research Laboratory, Dublin Dental Hospital, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

Dr Richard A. Murphy, Alltech Biotechnology Centre, Dunboyne, Co. Meath, Ireland.

Dr Richard O’Hanlon, Agri‐Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Dr Rebecca A. Owens, Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland.

Professor Derek J. Sullivan, Microbiology Research Unit, Dublin Dental School & Hospital, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

Professor Graeme M. Walker, Biotechnology & Forensic Sciences, School of Contemporary Sciences, Abertay University, Dundee, Scotland.

Dr Nia A. White, Biotechnology & Forensic Sciences, School of Contemporary Sciences, Abertay University, Dundee, Scotland.

Professor Malcolm Whiteway, Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.

Dr Binbin Zhou, Department of Plant Pathology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.

Preface

Fungi make an enormous contribution to our life. The role of yeast in the production of alcohol and bread is well characterized. We consume fungi directly in the form of edible mushrooms and in “blue cheeses” which get their characteristic flavor and aroma from the presence of fungi. Fungi are also used for the production of antibiotics, such as penicillin, and enzymes for use in the food industry. Since the 1990s, fungi have been utilized for the production of recombinant proteins, some of which have great therapeutic potential. Although infrequently recognized as important decomposers of organic detritus, fungi play a significant role in degrading biological matter, such as fallen leaves. On a more negative note, some fungi (for example members of the genus Candida and Aspergillus) are capable of causing serious life‐threatening infections in immunocompromised patients, and other fungi can be serious plant pathogens.

This is the third edition of Fungi: Biology and Applications which was first published in 2005. Since that date there have been enormous strides in our understanding of the biology of fungi, and their contribution to our life is becoming increasingly important. The aim of the current edition is to provide a detailed description of the biology, biotechnological applications, and medical significance of fungi. The book commences with an in‐depth description of the physiology of fungi in which the structure, metabolism, and growth of fungi are described. This is followed by a chapter dedicated to the genetics of fungi in which the lifecycles of a number of representative fungi are described and the use of fungi for genetic analysis is outlined. The advent of genomics and proteomics has revolutionized our study of the cell. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 describe how genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, respectively, have increased our knowledge of fungi and made available new opportunities for exploiting fungi for the good of humanity. Chapter 6 describes the importance of fungi as food and highlights the different techniques for the commercial production of edible fungi. Chapters 7 and 8 describe how fungi can be utilized for producing commercially important antibiotics, enzymes, and a range of chemical products such as citric acid. Chapter 9 focuses on the exploitation of fungi for the production of heterologous proteins and illustrates how yeast has been used for the production of hepatitis B antigens. Chapter 10 describes the main fungal pathogens of humans and Chapter 11 outlines the human immune response to fungi that restricts infection. Chapter 12 describes the main classes of antifungal drugs and their modes of action. Chapter 13 outlines the role of fungi in the environment where they play a significant role in recycling nutrients. Chapter 14 describes the main fungal pathogens of plants and assesses the impact of such pathogens on the global supply of food.

This book gives a comprehensive introduction to fungi in terms of their biology, genetics, medical significance, and biotechnological potential. Each chapter is written by internationally recognized experts, so the reader is given an up‐to‐date and detailed account of our knowledge of the biology and various applications of fungi.

Kevin Kavanagh