Role of filamentous fungi in sustainable biotechnologies and their potential as bioinspired solutions for long-term space exploration

Abstract

Considering the ambitious goals for future space exploration, space sciences will be facing new challenges in the next few decades. Some of these challenges concern life in space, and thus, their answers rely on biological solutions. Filamentous fungi have always been good allies to humans, helping us preserve our food and enhance flavors for millennia. They have also played a key role in the evolution of biotechnologies, and still play, today, a pivotal role in the development of bioinspired solutions to achieve global sustainability. In this paper, space exploration goals are outlined, and applications of filamentous fungi are presented as potential solutions to some of the challenges arising from future long-term crewed spaceflight. A focus is given on how fungal-derived solutions could greatly benefit the development of sustainable biotechnologies both in space and on Earth.