Filamentous fungi are important microorganisms used in industrial production of proteins and enzymes. Among these organisms, Trichoderma reesei, Aspergilli, and more recently Myceliophthora thermophile are the most widely used and promising ones which have powerful protein secretion capability. In recent years, there have been tremendous achievements in understanding the molecular mechanisms of the secretory pathways in filamentous fungi. The acquired pieces of knowledge can be harnessed to enhance protein production in filamentous fungi with assistance of state-of-the-art genetic engineering techniques.
Keywords: Aspergilli; Filamentous fungi; Genetic engineering; Heterologous expression; Secretion pathway; Trichoderma reesei.