BACKGROUND Glycoside hydrolases (GHs) and accessory proteins are key components for efficient and cost-effective enzymatic hydrolysis of polysaccharides in modern, biochemically based biorefineries. Currently, commercialized GHs and accessory proteins are produced by ascomycetes. However, the role of wood decay basidiomycetes proteins in biomass saccharification has not been extensively pursued...

INTRODUCTION Transition state metals, such as manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe), have been reported to be involved in fungal degradation of wood (Ellis, 1959; Shortle and Shigo. 1973; Blanchette, 1984; Glenn et al., 1986). Manganese is also involved in the enzymatic degradation of lignin model compounds by the white-rot fungus Phanaerochaete chrysosporium Burds. (Tien and Kirk, 1984; Glenn et al., 1...

Purpose: Bioincising is a biotechnological process for improving the permeability of refractory wood such as Norway spruce heartwood using the wood-decay fungus Physisporinus vitreus. The degradation of the bordered pit membranes by P. vitreus in its first stage of wood colonization enhances the uptake of preservatives and wood modification substances, whereas the strength of the material is no...

In the past, there has been an emphasis on conifer tree species in forestry operations in British Columbia. As a result, there is a serious lack of information regarding disease and decay problems in most hardwood tree species. This presentation reports the results of recent studies on levels of decay in natural red alder stands, and on the formation of stain in harvested alder logs. Disease pr...

Timber is a sustainable, economical, completely renewable, CO2-neutral organic material, which requires less energy to process than other construction materials. Wood is also a strong, aesthetically pleasing, and very durable material when properly maintained and used. However, under certain conditions of exposure or use — particularly when it becomes wet — wood may be rapidly decomposed due to...

AIMS The goal of this research was the development of a PCR-based assay to identify important decay fungi from wood of hardwood tree species in northern temperate regions. METHODS AND RESULTS Eleven taxon-specific primers were designed for PCR amplification of either nuclear or mitochondrial ribosomal DNA regions of Armillaria spp., Ganoderma spp., Hericium spp., Hypoxylon thouarsianum var. t...

The aim of the present study was to combat wood decay based on the approach controlled-release biocides from polymers. The possibility of introducing polymer-bonded fungicides into the cell lumens was investigated. The synthesis of ethylene maleic anhydride copolymer con­ taining pentachlorophenol (penta) and 8-hydroxy quino­ line (8HQ) in N, N dimethyl formamide is described. It was demonstrat...

Interest in understanding how brown-rot fungi decay wood has received increasing interest in recent years because of a need to identify novel targets that can be inhibited for the next generation of antifungal wood preservatives. Brown-rot fungi are unique in that they can degrade holocellulose (cellulose and hemicellulose) in wood without first removing the lignin. Furthermore, they degrade ho...

Wood heat treatment is an attractive alternative to improve decay resistance of wood species with low natural durability. However, this improvement of durability is realized at the expense of the mechanical resistance. Decay resistance and mechanical properties are strongly correlated to thermal degradation of wood cells wall components. Mass loss resulting from this degradation is a good indic...