Indoor wood-decay basidiomycetes: damage, causal fungi, physiology, identification and characterization, prevention and control

Abstract

Indoor wood-decay fungi cause considerable economical damage. Most of the structural damage to the indoors of buildings in Europe and North America is caused by brown-rot fungi that degrade conifer wood; white-rot fungi, which preferentially attack hardwoods, are less common. This review covers the approximately 80 basidiomycetes that commonly occur in buildings. Emphasis was placed on Serpula lacrymans, which is the most common indoor basidiomycete in central Europe. Meruliporia incrassata, the North American pendant to S. lacrymans, has also received considerable attention. In terms of indoor wood decay, moisture and temperature are the most important influences. Wood samples with a low moisture content can be degraded. High temperatures as an alternative control measure do not kill mycelia, with some species surviving in wood samples in the form of heat-resistant arthrospores at temperatures as high 95°C. For refurbishment and scientific purposes, the identity of the causal species should be known. More recently, several molecular techniques have been used to identify fungi; these results are often conflicting with those obtained by other, earlier applied methods. Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of the rDNA is currently the best molecular tool. Among the other methods available, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS) has also been shown to be able to distinguish closely related sister taxa. For further characterization of indoor basidiomycetes, the complete sequences of the 18S, 28S rDNA and the intergenic spacers with the included 5S rDNA have been acquired for some species. If current projects involving whole funal genome sequencing are not taken into account, Antrodia vaillantii is the first basidiomycete for which the complete rDNA sequence has been deposited. The review closes with fundamentals on the prevention and control of indoor wood decay.

The wood-destroying fungi in buildings in Estonia

“…In further studies the decay localities according to particular structural parts of buildings should be analysed and DNA-based identification techniques used of which the sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the rDNA is currently the best molecular tool [7]. At the very moment DNA-based identification is more expensive than light microscopy and it is the reason for not applying it in everyday inspections.…”

Influence of Norway Spruce and European Larch Heartwood Ring-Width on Extractive Content and Durability

“…These wood decay fungi are predominant decomposers of spruce wood in commercial applications (Schmidt, 2007). Two specimens, one extracted and one non-extracted, were randomly exposed in the same experimental jar.…”

Principales preservadores maderables y exudados microbianos con actividad antagonista al desarrollo en agentes biológicos deletéreos

“…The depolymerization of cell wall macromolecules is carried out with several hydrolytic enzymes that synthesize it rapidly, e.g. the degradation of crystalline is obtained with endo-1,4-ß-glucanases, exo-1,4-ß-glucanases, 1, 4-ß-glucosidases and other accessory enzymes (Schmidt, 2007).…”

“…The fungal metabolic pathway to the degradation of this polymer begins with the action of lignin peroxidase, which break carbon-carbon bonds or ether bonds within the complex molecule to produce monomers. Another interesting enzymatic complex is the one produced ß-glucanasas, exo-1,4-ß-glucanasas, 1,4-ß-glucosidasas y otras enzimas accesorias (Schmidt, 2007).…”