Hydrophobins are surface active proteins that are produced by filamentous fungi including mushrooms. Their ability to self-assemble into an amphipathic membrane at any hydrophilic–hydrophobic interface is most intriguing. These small secreted proteins comprise of eight conserved cysteine residues which form four disulfide bridges and an extraordinary hydrophobic patch. Hydrophobins play critical roles in fungal (and/or mushrooms) growth as structural components and in the interaction of fungi and mushrooms with the environment. The biophysical and biochemical properties of the isolated proteins are remarkable, such as strong adhesion, high surface activity and the formation of various self-assembled structures. With the increasing demands of hydrophobins from fungi and mushroom sources, production and purification in large scale is under challenge. Various applications, ranging from food industries, cosmetics, nanotechnology, biosensors and electrodes, to biomaterials and pharmaceuticals are emerging and a bright future is foreseen.

• Yuanzheng Wu(Ecology Institute, Shandong Academy of Sciences, No. 19 Keyuan Road, Jinan, 250014, China, Department of Biochemical and Polymer Engineering, Chosun University, 309 Pilmundaero, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61452, Korea)
• Jishun Li(Ecology Institute, Shandong Academy of Sciences, No. 19 Keyuan Road, Jinan, 250014, China)
• Hetong Yang(Ecology Institute, Shandong Academy of Sciences, No. 19 Keyuan Road, Jinan, 250014, China)
• Hyun-Jae Shin(Department of Biochemical and Polymer Engineering, Chosun University, 309 Pilmundaero, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61452, Korea) Corresponding author