Protein Extraction From Fungi

The fungi encompass a wide variety of organisms ranging from simple single-celled yeasts, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to highly differentiated macrofungi that can be up to a meter or more in diameter (e.g., Rigidoporus ulmarius and Langermannia gigantea [1]). Fungi contain many different proteinaceous materials and these may comprise up to 31% of the dry weight of a mushroom (2). Protein extraction can be undertaken from almost any type of fungal material, including fresh fruiting bodies (3). This chapter will consider some methodology for protein extraction from yeasts and filamentous fungi growing in liquid laboratory culture.