Hypha Hypha A hypha (plural hyphae, from Greek ὑφή, "huphḗ", "web") is a long, branching filamentous structure of a fungus, oomycete, or actinobacterium. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium. A hypha consists of one or more cells surrounded by a tubular cell wall. In most fungi, hyphae are divided into cells by internal cross-walls called "septa" (singular septum). Septa are usually perforated by pores large enough for ribosomes, mitochondria and sometimes nuclei to flow between cells. The major structural polymer in fungal cell walls is typically chitin, in contrast to
Xylanase Xylanase Xylanase (, "endo-(1->4)-beta-xylan 4-xylanohydrolase", "endo-1,4-xylanase", "endo-1,4-beta-xylanase", "beta-1,4-xylanase", "endo-1,4-beta-D-xylanase", "1,4-beta-xylan xylanohydrolase", "beta-xylanase", "beta-1,4-xylan xylanohydrolase", "beta-D-xylanase") is the name given to a class of enzymes which degrade the linear polysaccharide beta-1,4-xylan into xylose, thus breaking down hemicellulose, one of the major components of plant cell walls. As such, it plays a major role in micro-organisms thriving on plant sources for the degradation of plant matter into usable nutrients. Xylanases are produced by fungi, bacteria, yeast, marine algae, protozoans, snails, crustaceans, insect, seeds, etc., (mammals do not produce xylanases). However, the principal commercial source of xylanases is filamentous fungi. Commercial applications for