Myceliophthora thermophila as a Biotechnological Platform for Cellulase Production and Lignocellulose Valorization

Abstract

Lignocellulosic biomass deconstruction requires robust biocatalysts capable of operating under demanding industrial conditions. The thermophilic fungus Myceliophthorathermophila is a promising biotechnological platform for cellulase production and lignocellulose valorization because of its naturally thermostable CAZyme repertoire. Extensive knowledge has accumulated across diverse research fields, alongside its taxonomic reclassification as Thermothelomyces thermophila, emphasizing the need to integrate findings across research contexts. This review synthesizes knowledge generated using publicly available M. thermophila strains, retaining the historically prevalent name M. thermophila to facilitate cross-disciplinary comparison. Emphasis is placed on the C1 strain, whose longstanding use as a production platform provides a foundation for current advances in strain engineering and protein production. We provide a genetics-focused perspective on this biotechnological platform, integrating advances in genetic engineering, transcriptional regulation, and protein production. We discuss CRISPR systems applied to M. thermophila, strategies to improve protein production through extracellular protease elimination, optimization of secretion and unfolded protein response pathways, carrier proteins, and synthetic expression systems. We further summarize the transcriptional regulation of cellulase expression, the repertoire of characterized thermostable cellulases, and opportunities for protein engineering. Collectively, these advances position M. thermophila as a versatile biotechnological platform for producing industrial enzymes and other value-added bioproducts for biorefinery applications.