Microchemical studies of wood degradation by brown rot and white rot fungi in two tropical timbers

Lignocellulose is the most abundant renewable natural resource on earth and has been successfully used for the production of biofuels. A significant challenge is to develop cost-effective, environmentally friendly and efficient processes for the conversion of lignocellulose materials into suitable substrates for biotransformation. A number of approaches have been explored to convert lignocellulose into sugars, e.g. combining chemical pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. In nature, there are organisms that can transform the complex lignocellulose efficiently, such as wood-degrading fungi (brown rot and white rot fungi), bacteria (e.g. Clostridium thermocellum), arthropods (e.g. termite) and certain animals (e.g. ruminant). Here, we highlight recent case studies of the natural degraders and the mechanisms involved, providing new utilities in biotechnology. The sugars produced from such biotransformations can be used in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology for the complete biosynthesis of natural medicine. The unique opportunities in using lignocellulose directly to produce natural drug molecules with either using mushroom and/or ‘industrial workhorse’ organisms (Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) will be discussed.

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Evaluation of Compressive Strength of Decayed Wood in Magnolia obovata

Arboriculture & Urban Forestry ◽

10.48044/jauf.2010.011 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 81-85

Author(s):

Kahoru Matsumoto ◽

Futoshi Ishiguri ◽

Kazuya Iizuka ◽

Shinso Yokota ◽

Naoto Habu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Compressive Strength ◽

Early Stage ◽

White Rot Fungi ◽

Brown Rot ◽

Soft Rot ◽

White Rot ◽

Chemical Components ◽

Cellulose Content ◽

Magnolia Obovata ◽

Weight Loss Ratio

To obtain the basic information needed to estimate the degree of decay from compressive strength measured using a Fractometer (CS), relationships between CS and the contents of chemical components were analyzed for Magnolia wood decayed by three types fungi (brown rot, white rot, and soft rot fungi) at various decay levels. Weight loss ratio was significantly, negatively correlated with CS in woods decayed by brown rot and white rot fungi. In addition, a relatively high correlation coefficient was recognized between CS and holocellulose or α-cellulose content, except for wood decayed by soft rot fungus. The results obtained showed that Fractometer can detect the decrease of CS at relatively early stage of decay.

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Condensed conifer tannins as antifungal agents in liquid culture

Holzforschung ◽

10.1515/hf-2012-0154 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 67 (7) ◽

pp. 825-832 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Anna-Kaisa Anttila ◽

Anna Maria Pirttilä ◽

Hely Häggman ◽

Anni Harju ◽

Martti Venäläinen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Inhibition ◽

Fungal Growth ◽

White Rot Fungi ◽

Brown Rot ◽

Wood Preservative ◽

Soft Rot ◽

White Rot ◽

Wood Preservatives ◽

Active Components ◽

Brown Rot Fungi

Abstract In the last decades, many wood preservatives have been prohibited for their ecotoxicity. The present article is focusing on the conifer-derived condensed tannins as environment-friendly options for the substitution of artificial wood preservatives. Eight different tannin fractions were extracted from spruce cones, spruce barks, and pine cones. The parameters of tannin extraction, such as the methods of purification and concentration of active components in the extracts, have been investigated. The cone and bark extracts were tested for the growth inhibition of eight brown-rot fungi, three white-rot fungi, and four soft-rot fungi in liquid cultures. The cone tannins provided a more efficient fungal growth inhibition than bark tannins. Purification increased the antifungal properties of the extracts. The growth of brown-rot fungi was inhibited by the tannins already at low concentrations. However, the extracts were not effective against the white-rot or soft-rot fungi. More investigation is needed concerning the tannin source and the purification procedure of the extracts before tannins can be considered as an ecologically benign wood preservative.

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Variation in germination percentage of basidiospores collected successively from wood decay fungi in culture

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b83-017 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 61 (1) ◽

pp. 171-173 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

E. L. Schmidt ◽

D. W. French

Keyword(s):

Spore Germination ◽

White Rot Fungi ◽

Wood Decay ◽

Brown Rot ◽

Germination Percentage ◽

White Rot ◽

Malt Extract ◽

Decay Fungi ◽

Brown Rot Fungi ◽

Wood Decay Fungi

Successive collections of basidiospores, produced in culture from the same hymenial areas of four species of wood decay fungi, were tested for spore germination percentage on malt extract agar under controlled conditions. Spores from white rot fungi retained high germination levels after 5 weeks of spore production, but germination averages for brown rot fungi decreased by more than 50%. Such variation should be considered in wood pathology research using spore germination bioassay.

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Influence of the enzyme equipment of white-rot fungi on the patterns of wood degradation

FEMS Microbiology Reviews ◽

10.1111/j.1574-6976.1994.tb00045.x ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 13 (2-3) ◽

pp. 241-254 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Katia Ruel ◽

Katia Ambert ◽

Jean-Paul Joseleau

Keyword(s):

White Rot Fungi ◽

White Rot ◽

Wood Degradation

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Characterization of acetylated wood decayed by brown-rot and white-rot fungi

Journal of Wood Science ◽

10.1007/bf00579526 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 69-75 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Makoto Ohkoshi ◽

Atsushi Kato ◽

Kentaro Suzuki ◽

Noriko Hayashi ◽

Mitsuro Ishihara

Keyword(s):

White Rot Fungi ◽

Brown Rot ◽

White Rot

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Iron and calcium translocation from pure gypsum and iron-amended gypsum by two brown rot fungi and a white rot fungus

Holzforschung ◽

10.1515/hf.2008.125 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 62 (6) ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jonathan S. Schilling ◽

Kaitlyn M. Bissonnette

Keyword(s):

Building Materials ◽

Woody Debris ◽

White Rot Fungi ◽

Brown Rot ◽

White Rot ◽

White Rot Fungus ◽

Irpex Lacteus ◽

Brown Rot Fungi ◽

Ca Oxalate ◽

Iron And Calcium

AbstractWood-degrading fungi commonly grow in contact with calcium (Ca)-containing building materials and may import Ca and iron (Fe) from soil into forest woody debris. For brown rot fungi, imported Ca2+may neutralize oxalate, while Fe3+may facilitate Fenton-based degradation mechanisms. We previously demonstrated, in two independent trials, that degradation of spruce by wood-degrading fungi was not promoted when Ca or Fe were imported from gypsum or metallic Fe, respectively. Here, we tested pine wood with lower endogenous Ca than the spruce blocks used in prior experiments, and included a pure gypsum treatment and one amended with 1% with FeSO4. Electron microscopy with microanalysis verified that brown rot fungiSerpula himantioidesandGloeophyllum trabeumand the white rot fungusIrpex lacteusgrew on gypsum and produced iron-free Ca-oxalate crystals away from the gypsum surface. Wood cation analysis verified significant Fe import by both brown rot isolates in Fe-containing treatments. Wood degradation was highest in Fe-gypsum-containing treatments for all three fungi, although only wood degraded byI. lacteushad significant Ca import. We suggest that Fe impurities may not exacerbate brown rot, and that both brown and white rot fungi may utilize Ca-containing materials.

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Efficacy of Pinosylvins against White-Rot and Brown-Rot Fungi

Holzforschung ◽

10.1515/hf.1999.081 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 53 (5) ◽

pp. 491-497 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

Catherine C. Celimene ◽

Jessie A. Micales ◽

Leslie Ferge ◽

Raymond A. Young

Keyword(s):

Picea Glauca ◽

Pinus Banksiana ◽

White Rot Fungi ◽

Brown Rot ◽

Monomethyl Ether ◽

Decay Resistance ◽

White Rot ◽

Red Maple ◽

Brown Rot Fungi ◽

Agar Media

Summary Three stilbenes, pinosylvin (PS), pinosylvin monomethyl ether (PSM) and pinosylvin dimethyl ether (PSD), were extracted from white spruce (Picea glauca), jack pine (Pinus banksiana), and red pine (Pinus resinosa) pine cones, and their structures were confirmed by spectroscopic and chromatographic (HPLC, GC/MS, NMR and FTIR) analysis. PS, PSM, PSD or a 1:1:1 mixture of these stilbenes at concentrations of 0.1 % and 1.0 % were examined for their fungal inhibitory activity by two bioassay methods. Growth of white-rot fungi (Trametes versicolor and Phanerochaete chrysosporium), and brown-rot fungi (Neolentinus lepideus, Gloeophyllum trabeum and Postia placenta) on agar media in the presence of each of the stilbenes or a 1:1:1 mixture inhibited growth of white-rot fungi, but slightly stimulated growth of brown-rot fungi. Soil-block assays, conditions more representative of those found in nature, did not correlate with those from the screening on agar media. PS, PSM, PSD or a 1:1:1 mixture of the three compounds at concentrations of 0.1 % and 1.0 % did not impart any significant decay resistance to white-rot fungi inoculated on a hardwood (Red maple). However under the same conditions, decay resistance was observed against brown-rot fungi on a softwood (Southern yellow pine). It appears that stilbenes at least partially contribute to wood decay resistance against brown-rot fungi.

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Decay resistance of softwoods and hardwoods thermally modified by the Thermovouto type thermo-vacuum process to brown rot and white rot fungi

Holzforschung ◽

10.1515/hf-2015-0244 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 70 (9) ◽

pp. 877-884 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Jie Gao ◽

Jong Sik Kim ◽

Nasko Terziev ◽

Geoffrey Daniel

Keyword(s):

White Rot Fungi ◽

Brown Rot ◽

Decay Resistance ◽

Fungal Species ◽

White Rot ◽

Agar Block ◽

Pycnoporus Sanguineus ◽

Postia Placenta ◽

Soil Block ◽

Class 1

Abstract Softwoods (SW, spruce and fir) and hardwoods (HW, ash and beech) were thermally modified by the thermo-vacuum (Termovuoto) process for 3–4 h in the temperature range 160–220°C (TMW160–220°C) and their fungal durability were examined in soil-block tests with two brown rot (BR, Postia placenta, Gloeophyllum trabeum) and two white rot (WR, Pycnoporus sanguineus, Phlebia radiata) fungi. SW-TMW160–220°C were exposed to P. placenta and P. sanguineus and HW-TMW190–220°C to all fungal species. Considerable improvement (durability class 1–3) in decay resistance was only achieved for SW- and HW-TMW220°C. Thermal modification (TM) below 200°C influenced decay resistance negatively in case of some fungal species applied for both SW and HW. Judged by the durability class, decay resistance was higher in HW- than in SW-TMW at high TM temperature. Behavior of TM differed significantly between ash (ring-porous HW) and beech (diffuse-porous HW). A comparison between results of soil- and agar-block tests on Termovouoto wood demonstrated that the influence of testing method in terms of assignment to durability classes is not significant.

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