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Trichoderma longibrachiatum is a fungus of the genus Trichoderma. In addition to being a distinct species, longibrachiatum also represents a clade of Trichoderma which is comprised of 21 different species. T. longibrachiatum is a soil fungus which is found all over the world but mainly in warmer climates. Many species from the clade of longibrachiatum have been adopted in various industries because of their ability to secrete large amounts of protein and metabolites.

Taxonomy and naming
Trichoderma is a diverse genus with other 135 species in Europe alone. This species was first characterized by Mien Rifai in 1969. T. longibrachiatum is an exclusively anamorph species complex allied with the Hypocrea schweinitzii complex. Evolutionarily T. longibrachiatum is the youngest clade of the Trichoderma genus.

Growth and morphology
T. longibrachiatum is a fast-growing fungus. It often grows off-white colonies that change to greyish green throughout its growth. It is able to grow at a wide range of temperatures however its ideal growing temperature is ≥ 35°C. T. longibrachiatum is a clonal species and reproduces through 1-celled, smooth-walled conidia.

Metabolism
Trichoderma longibrachiatum is found commonly on decaying plant material where its ecological role ranges from that of a strict saprotroph to a parasite of other saprotrophic fungi. T. longibrachiatum uses cellulases to digest cellulose from decaying plant biomass, and chitinases to digest chitin from other fungi. It is also able to digest protein with the aid of aspartic proteases, serine proteases, and metalloproteases. T. longibrachiatum produces many secondary metabolites including; peptaibols, polyketides, pyrones, terpenes and diketopiperazine-like compounds.

Distribution and habitat
T. longibrachiatum is a soil fungus. It is usually found on dead wood, other fungi, building material and sometimes animals. The following table is a complete list of the Longibrachiatum Clade of Trichoderma along with their distribution.

Toxicity
T. longibrachiatum doesn’t usually pose much of a health risk to humans however it has been isolated as an indoor contaminant with high allergenic potential for humans. T. longibrachiatum has also been implicated in the colonization of immunocompromised humans. It has been found in the hemocultures of a neutropenic lymphoma patient, bone marrow transplant patients, and patients with severe chronic kidney disease.

Industrial Uses
Trichoderma species are useful in industry because of their high capacity to secrete large amounts of protein and metabolites. It has been suggested that T. longibrachiatum could be potentially used as a biocontrol agent for its parasitic and lethal effects on the cysts of H. avenae. Since T. longibrachiatum is a mycoparasite, it has also been investigated for its use in combating fungal diseases on agricultural crops. Its enzymatic capacity could potentially be useful in bioremediation, for use in remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals. Other industrial uses include using the various cellulases for staining fabrics in the textile industry, increasing digestibility of poultry feed, and potentially in the generation of biofuels. T. longibrachiatum has also been reported in promoting plant growth by increasing nutrient uptake, inhibiting the growth of plant parasites, increasing carbohydrate metabolism, and phytohormone synthesis.