White rot

White rot

White-rot fungi are a type of fungi comprising agaricomycetes, basidiomycetes, and some ascomycetes that are capable of decomposing many tree species. It is now recognized that saprotrophic interactions have profound effects on forest biomes. White-rot fungi are characterized by their ability to break down the lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose of wood. As a result of this ability, white-rot fungi are considered a vital component of the carbon cycle, because of their ability to access carbon pools that would otherwise remain inaccessible. The name "white rot" derives from the white color and rotting texture of the remaining crystalline cellulose from wood degraded by these fungi. Most knowledge of white-rot fungi comes from Coriolus versicolor and Phanerochaete chrysosporium. White-rot fungi show strong participation in interspecific competition, culminating in the evolution of lignin catabolism specificity. The current and future applications of white-rot fungi as a potential component of mycoremediation merit greater study of these saprotrophs.