2007 Research Highlights

Research Area:
Strategic Goal: 4
Forest Service Strategic Goal 6: Conduct mission-related work in addition to that which supports the agency goals.
SPA: Resource Management and Use

The Genome Sequence of the Brown Rot Fungus Postia placenta

Key Contact: Dan Cullen dcullen01@fs.fed.us
Partner: Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute

The Genome Sequence of the Brown Rot Fungus Postia placenta. The brown rot fungi, a group of filamentous basidiomycetes, rapidly depolymerize the cellulose in wood without significant lignin removal.  This type of decay differs sharply from white rot fungi such as Phanerochaete chrysosporiu m which simultaneously degrade lignin and cellulose.  Both white and brown rot fungi are common inhabitants of forest litter where they play an important role in carbon cycling.   Beyond this, brown rot fungi are most commonly responsible for the destructive decay of wood in buildings and other structures, and it has estimated that 10% of the U.S. timber harvest decays in service each year.  Irrespective of their economic importance, the mechanism of brown rot wood decay is poorly understood.  To better understand the biology of this type of wood degradation, the Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute has sequenced the entire 33Mb genome of the model brown rot, Postia placenta.