Identification of Serpula lacrymans and other decay fungi in construction timber by sequencing of ribosomal DNA – A practical approach

Abstract

AbstractWe have approached species identification of wood decay fungi in construction wood by means of sequencing ribosomal DNA. Sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS), which includes the 5.8S rDNA, is straightforward and provides a basis for species identification. Identification was either by BLAST search on sequences in GenBank or phylogenetic analysis. A number of important wood decay fungi such asSerpula lacrymans, S. himantioides, Antrodia serialis, A. sinuosa, Gloeophyllum sepiarium, Fomitopsis pinicola, Resinicium bicolorandJunghuhnia collabenshave been successfully identified from fruitbodies and directly from wood samples. Sequence variants were found within the species sampled includingS. himantioides, the close relative ofS. lacrymans.But, among 27 samples from fruitbodies and mycelium ofS. lacrymans, unexpectedly, no sequence variation was detected.