Wood's Dry Rot Code Cracked

Researchers have sequenced the genome of the brown rot fungus, Serpula lacrymans, according to the University of Helsinki. Published in the July issue of Science magazine, the research might lead to new ways of preventing brown rot, though researchers said practical applications of the knowledge require more research. Upon comparing the brown rot genome to other types of fungi, researchers discovered that brown rot-which feeds on cellulose and hemicellulose in wood-evolved from white rot, which feeds on lignin and cellulose in wood.