Volume Preface to the Third Edition
It is now more than 15 years since the release of the second edition of The Mycota
Volume II—Genetics and Biotechnology—in 2004. Since then, great methodological progress, particularly in the field of molecular biology, has led to substantial
developments in these fields. On the one hand, novel techniques based on next
generation sequencing have sped up the analysis of genomes and transcriptomes.
On the other hand, tremendous advances have been made in the fields of cloning
and genome editing, which have led to many novel discoveries and a refined
understanding of the genetics and molecular mechanisms underlying cellular
processes. At the same time, the relevance of fungi for research and development
is unbroken and has only increased in the past, both due to unsolved threats to
human health and welfare by fungal pests and pathogens and by the many
benefits that fungal biotechnology can offer to the diverse emerging markets
and processes that form the basis of the modern bioeconomy. In this respect,
we felt that the compilation of a new third edition was timely and highly
warranted.
The great amount of novelty in the field is well reflected by the updated nature
of this third edition: Out of the 17 chapters, 15 are new additions to the book,
while the other two chapters have been completely refurbished. In line with the
title of the series, the book is separated into two parts: Part I combines nine
contributions to basic research in molecular genetics and Part II eight articles on
different topics of fungal biotechnology. Our goal was to compile a broad range of
excellent articles on up-to-date topics. Major fungal reference systems, including
both yeasts and filamentous fungi like Neurospora crassa, Aspergillus niger,
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia pastoris, and Ustilago maydis, were considered,
but also novel fungi from so far underexplored environments, such as the sea or
animal guts, as well as mycorrhizal and wood-degrading fungi.
In Part I, basic genetic processes including chromosome organization and
inheritance (Chaps. 1 and 2), the unfolded protein response (Chap. 3), the
circadian clock (Chap. 4), and small RNAs (Chap. 5) are discussed. Furthermore,
an overview of the latest discoveries regarding self/non-self recognition in fungi
(Chap. 6) is provided as well as insights into the fascinating world of fungal
symbioses with the example of arbuscular mycorrhiza (Chap. 7). Two chapters on
the border of basic and applied science conclude this section: A comprehensive
summary of the genetics behind secondary metabolism and fungal development
(Chap. 8) and a chapter on the most recent advances in fungal genomics (Chap.
9), which we have decided to include due to its timeliness and its broad impact on
all fields of fungal genetics and biotechnology. For interested readers who want to
It is now more than 15 years since the release of the second edition of The Mycota
Volume II—Genetics and Biotechnology—in 2004. Since then, great methodological progress, particularly in the field of molecular biology, has led to substantial
developments in these fields. On the one hand, novel techniques based on next
generation sequencing have sped up the analysis of genomes and transcriptomes.
On the other hand, tremendous advances have been made in the fields of cloning
and genome editing, which have led to many novel discoveries and a refined
understanding of the genetics and molecular mechanisms underlying cellular
processes. At the same time, the relevance of fungi for research and development
is unbroken and has only increased in the past, both due to unsolved threats to
human health and welfare by fungal pests and pathogens and by the many
benefits that fungal biotechnology can offer to the diverse emerging markets
and processes that form the basis of the modern bioeconomy. In this respect,
we felt that the compilation of a new third edition was timely and highly
warranted.
The great amount of novelty in the field is well reflected by the updated nature
of this third edition: Out of the 17 chapters, 15 are new additions to the book,
while the other two chapters have been completely refurbished. In line with the
title of the series, the book is separated into two parts: Part I combines nine
contributions to basic research in molecular genetics and Part II eight articles on
different topics of fungal biotechnology. Our goal was to compile a broad range of
excellent articles on up-to-date topics. Major fungal reference systems, including
both yeasts and filamentous fungi like Neurospora crassa, Aspergillus niger,
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia pastoris, and Ustilago maydis, were considered,
but also novel fungi from so far underexplored environments, such as the sea or
animal guts, as well as mycorrhizal and wood-degrading fungi.
In Part I, basic genetic processes including chromosome organization and
inheritance (Chaps. 1 and 2), the unfolded protein response (Chap. 3), the
circadian clock (Chap. 4), and small RNAs (Chap. 5) are discussed. Furthermore,
an overview of the latest discoveries regarding self/non-self recognition in fungi
(Chap. 6) is provided as well as insights into the fascinating world of fungal
symbioses with the example of arbuscular mycorrhiza (Chap. 7). Two chapters on
the border of basic and applied science conclude this section: A comprehensive
summary of the genetics behind secondary metabolism and fungal development
(Chap. 8) and a chapter on the most recent advances in fungal genomics (Chap.
9), which we have decided to include due to its timeliness and its broad impact on
all fields of fungal genetics and biotechnology. For interested readers who want to