Contact: David Gilbert
degilbert@lbl.gov
925-296-5643
DOE/Joint Genome Institute

Thermophilic Fungus M. thermophila

Caption: Muceliophthora thermophila is a fungus that thrives in high-temperature environments above 45°C. Many of the cellulases currently used in biofuel production are derived from species that thrive at temperatures of 20°C-35°C (68°F-95°F). The conversion process at these temperatures takes time, during which contaminants can reduce the final yield. Enzymes from thermophilic fungi such as M. thermophila would therefore be useful for accelerating the biofuel production process.

Credit: Courtesy of Adrian Tsang, Concordia University, Canada

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