Biotechnological insights into extracellular enzyme production by thermotolerant fungi from hot springs and caves: Morphology, pellets formation, and protease production

This study investigates the thermotolerant fungal biodiversity in caves and hot springs, focusing on their potential for extracellular enzyme production, specifically proteases. Samples were collected from the Cardonal region in Hidalgo, Mexico, using three different isolation methods. The study characterizes the morphological diversity of the isolated fungi and identifies various genera, including Aspergillus, Penicillium, Trichoderma, Cladosporium, and Fusarium, based on morphology. The isolated fungi were screened for their ability to produce extracellular enzymes on solid media, with a particular emphasis on proteases due to their industrial significance. Among the 35 isolated fungi, 20 exhibited proteolytic activity, and 12 strains were identified as good protease producers based on enzymatic index values. The study also evaluated the formation of fungal pellets by proteolytic fungi and found certain strains to display significant pellet formation. Additionally, protease production was examined by fungal pellets in submerged cultures, with isolate 6 demonstrating the highest protease activity. The findings highlight the diverse thermotolerant fungal biodiversity in extreme environments, and emphasize their potential for enzymatic production. This research contributes to our understanding of fungal ecology and provides insights into the biotechnological applications of these enzymes. The study recommends further molecular investigations to enhance biodiversity studies in such extreme environments.