Lignocellulose‐degrading marine fungi

Abstract

Evidence for lignocellulose‐degrading ability among marine fungi is reviewed. Enzyme production, mass loss and micromorphological data suggest that most strains capable of decay activity are likely to be soft‐rot fungi, with relatively few capable of white‐rot decay. This probably reflects the relatively high number of ascomycete genera compared to basidiomycetes described to date. The ecological and biotechnological importance of marine fungal lignocellulolytic enzymes is discussed.

Key words:

• cellulose
• hemicellulose
• lignin
• lignocellulose
• marine fungi
• wood

Notes

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