Fungal biotechnology has enormously contributed to the growing bio- and
circular economy. With the capabilities of individual fungal strains in diverse
applications, the fundamentals of their growth development and metabolic traits
significantly impact the process development of industrial production. Lipids are
cellular biomolecules that play dynamic functions during vegetative growth and
development, and environmental adaptation. Regarding the structural and functional
roles of lipid molecules, intensive studies have been given to understanding the
physiological and molecular regulations in the lipid metabolism of filamentous fungi,
particularly in the potential oleaginous strains. Hence, a link between fungal growth,
morphological development and lipid phenotypes, is presented. Vegetative growth
phases of fungi are distinguishable based on their lipid content and profile. Cell
morphology can be controlled by physical and genetic manipulations. Through multidimensional technologies and emerging tools, more biological insights into a
systematic regulation underlying lipid metabolisms, precursors, and other related
metabolites are described. In the end, a correlation of phenotypic and genotype
characteristics in growth and lipid dynamics on various substrate and culture conditions
is elaborated. The informative data bridging towards industrial biotechnology for the
establishment of fungal bio-manufacturing platforms are discussed not only for
diversified lipid production but also for developing the eco-friendly and economically
feasible production process.
Keywords: Abiotic factor, Ascomycota, Bioprocess, Cell morphology, Desaturase, Developmental stage, Fatty acid biosynthesis, Fermentation, Filamentous fungi, Lipid degradation, Lipid particle, Membrane lipids, Neutral lipids, Nitrogen source, Oleaginous strain, Polyunsaturated fatty acids, Sporulation, Spore germination, Vegetative growth, Zygomycota.
