Professor Jonathan Schilling

These researchers are examining the genetic basis of wood deconstruction in brown rot fungi, a subclass of wood-degrading fungi evolved from the more common white rot fungi. As compared to white rot fungi, brown rot species use a distinct and potentially more efficient mechanism to circumvent the lignin barrier during biomass breakdown. This group uses RNA-seq to spatially and sequentially map the expression of genes involved in wood deconstruction in fungal hyphae at the microbelignocellulose interface. This work will advance overall understanding of mechanisms used by filamentous fungi to deconstruct lignocellulose and facilitate their potential application to production of next-generation biofuels.