Thraustochytrids were first discovered in 1934, and since the 1960's they have been increasingly studied for their beneficial and deleterious effects. This review aims to provide an enhanced understanding of these protists with a particular emphasis on their taxonomy, ecology and biotechnology applications. Over the years, thraustochytrid taxonomy has improved with the development of modern molecular techniques and new biochemical markers, resulting in the isolation and description of new strains. In the present work, the taxonomic history of thraustochytrids is reviewed, while providing an up-to-date classification of these organisms. It also describes the various biomarkers that may be taken into consideration to support taxonomic characterization of the thraustochytrids, together with a review of traditional and modern techniques for their isolation and molecular identification. The originality of this review lies in linking taxonomy and ecology of the thraustochytrids and their biotechnological applications as producers of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), carotenoids, exopolysaccharides and other compounds of interest. The paper provides a summary of these aspects while also highlighting some of the most important recent studies in this field, which include the diversity of polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in thraustochytrids, some novel strategies for biomass production and recovery of compounds of interest. Furthermore, a detailed overview is provided of the direct and current applications of thraustochytrid-derived compounds in the food, fuel, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and aquaculture industries and of some of the commercial products available. This review is intended to be a source of information and references on the thraustochytrids for both experts and those who are new to this field.

破囊壶菌最早于1934年被发现，自1960年代以来，由于其有益和有害作用，人们对其进行了越来越多的研究。这篇综述旨在加深对这些生物的理解，特别是对它们的分类学，生态学和生物技术应用的重视。多年来，随着现代分子技术和新生物化学标记物的发展，破囊壶菌的分类学得到了改善，从而导致了新菌株的分离和描述。在目前的工作中，对破囊壶菌的分类历史进行了回顾，同时提供了这些生物的最新分类。它还描述了可以用来支持破囊壶菌分类学特征的各种生物标志物，以及对传统和现代技术的分离和分子鉴定的评论。这篇评论的独创性在于将破囊壶菌的分类学和生态学及其作为二十二碳六烯酸（DHA），类胡萝卜素，胞外多糖和其他感兴趣的化合物的生产者的生物技术应用联系起来。本文对这些方面进行了概述，同时重点介绍了该领域最近的一些最重要的研究，包括破囊壶菌中多不饱和脂肪酸代谢的多样性，生物量生产和目标化合物回收的一些新策略。此外，详细概述了破囊壶菌衍生的化合物在食品，燃料，化妆品，药​​品，和水产养殖业以及一些可用的商业产品。本综述旨在为专家和刚接触该领域的人员提供关于破囊壶菌的信息和参考。