Chapter 12
Potential of Lignin-Degrading Endophytic
Fungi on Lignocellulosic Biorefineries
Úrsula Fillat, Raquel Martín-Sampedro, David Macaya-Sanz,
Juan A. Martín, David Ibarra and María E. Eugenio
Abstract Renewable lignocellulosic biomass is considered as feedstocks to play a
significant role in the future of biorefineries for the sustainable production of food,
chemicals, materials, and biofuels. Lignin, the natural barrier that protects cellulose
and hemicelluloses from microbial attack, represents an important limiting factor in
these processes. Removal of lignin has a vast scope with central importance to be
utilized as a source of carbohydrates in the manufacturing of cellulose-based
chemicals including paper pulp and ethanol production. Enzymes produced by
ligninolytic fungi acted as an alternative to develop competent and eco-friendly
technologies to use biomass of lignin and cellulose. Among these microorganisms,
the“white-rot”causing fungi that belong to basidiomycetes are potential contenders
of efficient depolymerization and mineralization of lignin via secretion of low
molecular mass oxidative enzymes. Recently, some endophytic fungi have been
tested for ligninolytic enzymes and their possible biotechnological applications. This
chapter highlights the recent progress that has been made in screening endophytic
fungi for ligninolytic activities and their capacities for transforming lignocellulosic
biomass into fermentable sugars and paper pulps in a biorefinery framework.
Ú. Fillat (&)R. Martín-SampedroD. IbarraM.E. Eugenio
Forestry Products Department, Cellulose and Paper Laboratories, INIA-CIFOR, 28040
Madrid, Spain
e-mail:[email protected]
R. Martín-Sampedro
e-mail: [email protected]
D. Ibarra
e-mail: [email protected]
M.E. Eugenio
e-mail: [email protected]
D. Macaya-SanzJ.A. Martín
Department of Natural Systems and Resources, School of Forest Engineers, Technical
University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
e-mail: [email protected]
J.A. Martín
e-mail: [email protected]
©Springer International Publishing AG 2017
D.K. Maheshwari and K. Annapurna (eds.),Endophytes: Crop Productivity
and Protection, Sustainable Development and Biodiversity 16,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-66544-3_12
261