Impact of basic research on the practical application of fungal processes - Invitational ONR lecture (Reprinted from Developments in Industrial Microbiology, vol 22, pg 19-36, 1981)

To what extent basic research may contribute to the improvement of fungal p rocesses is discussed with regard to tasks, potential, and limitations. Sin ce a main requirement of industry is not only to enhance the yield of micro bial products but also to come to stable production levels, the task of bas ic genetics is to accomplish this through a concerted breeding; that means especially through recombination of the genetic material in order to comple ment the traditional selection and mutation methods. me potential applicati on of genetics is explained with the aid of specific examples chosen fox: v arious organisms and their processes. The first deals with single-cell prot ein production from yeasts, a problem originated from industry and indeed a challenge to basic genetics. The second is genetic control of morphogenesi s of fruit bodies in higher Basidiomycetes, a topic which originated throug h basic research and has implications for recycling procedures. The third, a joint venture, senescence, was originally of theoretical interest, but is certainly relevant for avoiding the strain-aging occurring in fermenters. Since it is now evident that the causative agent of senescence is plasmid-l ike DNA, a new field for basic research has opened, because there is a real possibility to apply gene cloning to filamentous fungi which adds even fur ther potential to the practical application of fungal processes. The limita tions of basic genetics in this context are discussed briefly through examp les of the failure of DNA from different, but often closely related, organi sms to coexist and to be expressed through a common physiological machinery after hybridization.