Current Biotechnology ›› 2026, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (2): 242-253.DOI: 10.19586/j.2095-2341.2025.0178

• Reviews • Previous Articles    

Research Progress on Lignocellulose Degraded by Fungi and Their Enzymes

Shan TANG1(), Siyu LI1, Nan DING2, Wanyu YU1, Hongliang LIU3, Xinyue WANG1, Shichen HUANG1(), Minjie FU4()   

  1. 1.College of Geography and Ocean Science,Yanbian University,Jilin Hunchun 133300,China
    2.School of Chemical Engineering,Dalian University of Technology,Liaoning Dalian 116024,China
    3.Yanbian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Yanbian Specialty Research Institute),Jilin Longjing 133400,China
    4.College of Agriculture,Yanbian University,Jilin Yanji 133002,China
  • Received:2025-12-15 Accepted:2026-01-28 Online:2026-03-25 Published:2026-04-27
  • Contact: Shichen HUANG,Minjie FU

Abstract:

As the most abundant renewable biomass resource on earth, lignocellulose's efficient conversion is a key approach to addressing energy transition and the "carbon neutrality" goal. However, its inherently complex and dense natural structure poses a severe technical bottleneck due to its recalcitrance to degradation. This review summarized the research progress on the species of fungi involved in lignocellulose degradation and their related enzyme systems. It focused on analyzing the classification characteristics, degradation mechanisms, and extracellular enzyme system compositions of major degrading fungi, such as white-rot fungi, brown-rot fungi, and soft-rot fungi. The catalytic properties and synergistic mechanisms of lignin-degrading enzyme systems (laccase, peroxidase, etc.), hemicellulases, and cellulases (endoglucanase, exoglucanase, β-glucosidase) were systematically elaborated. The breakthrough role of the newly discovered lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO) in improving cellulose degradation efficiency and its synergistic effect with glycoside hydrolases were specifically discussed. Finally, the application prospects and challenges of fungal enzyme systems in fields such as biomass energy and the papermaking industry were prospected, aiming to provide a theoretical reference for the efficient bioconversion of lignocellulosic resources.

Key words: lignocellulose, fungal transformation, carbohydrate-active enzymes

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