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Transcriptomic Insights into the Degradation Mechanisms of Fomitopsis pinicola and Its Host Preference for Coniferous over Broadleaf Deadwood

Summary

This research examined how a common forest fungus called Fomitopsis pinicola breaks down different types of wood. Scientists found that this fungus much prefers coniferous trees like pine and is much better at degrading them than broadleaf trees like birch. By analyzing which genes the fungus turns on when degrading different woods, they discovered the fungus activates more genes related to breaking down the tough lignin component when working on pine wood, explaining why it naturally chooses conifers in forests.

Background

Fomitopsis pinicola is a brown rot fungus widely distributed in northern hemisphere forests with distinct host preference for coniferous trees. Brown rot fungi degrade wood through oxidative enzymes and the Fenton reaction, but the mechanisms underlying F. pinicola’s preference for coniferous over broadleaf deadwood remain poorly understood.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the mechanisms underlying F. pinicola’s host preference for coniferous wood (Pinus koraiensis) over broadleaf wood (Betula platyphylla) through comparative transcriptome analysis and physicochemical property assessment of degraded wood.

Results

F. pinicola degraded P. koraiensis more efficiently (53.38% dry weight loss) than B. platyphylla (49.33%), with significantly greater lignin degradation (32.82% vs 26.88%). Transcriptomic analysis revealed 2312 differentially expressed genes in pine degradation versus 1421 in birch, with higher expression of genes related to oxidoreductase activity, iron ion binding, and the Fenton reaction in coniferous degradation.

Conclusion

F. pinicola’s preference for coniferous wood is primarily driven by more efficient lignin degradation, involving higher expression of genes related to hydrolytic enzymes and the Fenton reaction. These findings reflect the fungus’s adaptive evolution in host selection and demonstrate its strong ability to degrade coniferous deadwood lignin.
  • Published in:Microorganisms,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: PMID: 40431179, DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms13051006
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