Biodiversity and Industrial Applications of Genus Chaetomium

Abstract

When Gustav Kunze introduced genus Chaetomium, as a new genus to the science, in Mykologische Hefte (Leipzig) in 1817, the new taxon attracted the interest of the researchers in every place in the world. Genus Chaetomium is a very diverse taxon colonizing various substrates rich in cellulose such as soils, textiles, plant tissues, agricultural wastes, and seeds. The genus Chaetomium is considered one of the largest genera in saprobic ascomycetes, which belongs to order Sordariales and family Chaetomiaceae. Until now more than 500 compounds with a wide range of bioactive effects have been isolated from Chaetomium spp., but compared with its richness of species, more bioactive secondary metabolites might be found in this member of fungi. Therefore, together with its ubiquitous nature, these species have great significant impacts on ecosystems, agriculture, food production, biotechnology, and human and animal health. The goal of this chapter is to shed the light on the biodiversity of Chaetomium in different ecological habitats with its application in different industrial fields.