Protease Produced by Endophytic Fungi: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biochemistry
• Enzymology

Background:

• Endophytic fungi reside within plant tissues and are a source of bioactive compounds.
• Proteases are crucial enzymes with diverse industrial and therapeutic applications.
• Limited research exists on the comprehensive production and characterization of proteases from endophytic fungi.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and identify literature on the production, purification, and characterization of proteases from endophytic fungi.
• To assess the current state of research regarding protease yield, optimization, and enzyme properties.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across five databases (PubMed, PMC, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science) up to May 18, 2021.
• Adherence to PRISMA guidelines for study selection and data extraction.
• Methodological quality assessment of included studies using GRADE criteria.

Main Results:

• Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria from an initial 5540 articles.
• Only two studies optimized protease production using statistical designs.
• Two studies reported on enzyme purification and characterization; six demonstrated fibrinolytic protease production.
• The genera *Penicillium* and *Aspergillus* were most frequently reported.

Conclusions:

• Endophytic fungi show potential for producing fibrinolytic proteases, applicable in thrombolytic therapy.
• Significant gaps exist in the complete characterization and purification of fungal proteases.
• Further research is essential to unlock the industrial enzyme potential of endophytic fungi.