Serpula lacrymans is sequenced by the Joint Genome Institute, USA with the aim of exploring enzymes from this organism that will be useful for lignocellulose degradation, which will be used in future biofuel applications.
Serpula lacrymans is a brown rot fungus which is found in buildings in temperate areas of the world. Photo: Nils Högberg.
At our department gene family evolution and transcriptomics is studied with regard to wood decay mechanisms, mineral weathering and fruit body formation. Transcriptomics is studied by means of NimbleGen microarrays and SOLEXA sequencing. The genome had about 13 000 genes. Comparative analysis with other fungi show that the dry rot fungus has lost enzymes that other fungi use to degrade wood, but that it instead utilize new energy effective enzymes.
Wood is a composite material that consists of long cellulose fibres embedded in lignin and hemicellulose. Fungi, which utilize an older evolutionary strategy utilize a range of enzymes which degrade all wood components. The dry rot fungus avoid the energetically wasteful ligninolysis but are able to selectively degrade cellulose and hemicellulose by means of extensive hydroxyl radical attack.. The genome of the dry rot fungus, Serpula was published in the scientific journal Science 2011. The article can be read here.
Who is involved:
Nils Högberg (contact person)
Anna Rosling
Jan Stenlid
External cooperation:
Daniel Eastwood
Sarah Watkinson
David Hibbett
Francis Martin
Annegret Kohler and more