We have developed a DNA-based assay to reliably detect brown rot and white rot fungi in wood at different stages of decay. DNA, isolated by a series of CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) and organic extractions, was amplified by the PCR using published universal primers and basidiomycete-specific primers derived from ribosomal DNA sequences. We surveyed 14 species of wood-decaying basidiomyc...

Studies on the evolutionary history of ascomycetes in terms of time scale will help to understand historical patterns that shape their biodiversity. Until now most of dating studies of ascomycetes have focused on major events in fungal evolution but not on divergence events within smaller groups of fungi e.g. within Sordariomycetes. We used molecular dating to estimate the time of separation of...

the addition of cottonwood and ash sapwood powder to ypssl2 medium influenced the mycelial growth of 13 species of freshwater lignicolous ascomycetes and hyphornycetes. these species fall into three groups with respect to their responses to the presence of leached or non-leached wood powder. neither wood type showed strong inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth of the species. leaching did no...