Pleurotus ostreatus DSM11191 growing on yeast malt peptone glucose agar [Photo credit: Alexa Schwartz]

Pleurotus ostreatus, also known as the oyster mushroom, is a saprotrophic white-rot fungus belonging to the order Agaricales. White-rot fungi have the capability to degrade all the structural components of plant biomass, including cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. White-rot fungi are divided into two groups based on degradation patterns – those that selectively degrade lignin first, and those that degrade all the lignocellulosic components simultaneously. This specific strain of P. ostreatus degrades all the plant components simultaneously, and the extent of conversion is higher for lignin and hemicellulose than that of cellulose. This degradation pattern has been demonstrated in cultivations containing poplar or corn stover as the sole carbon source. These lignocellulosic feedstocks are potential substrates in the bioenergy industry.

White-rot fungi are considered the most efficient lignin degrading organisms in nature. However, pathway elucidation for the catabolism of lignin-derived aromatic compounds towards central metabolism is still in its infancy. The genome sequencing of the dikaryotic strain Pleurotus ostreatus DSM 11191 will be essential for comparative and targeted systems biology studies focused on elucidating intracellular pathways during the degradation of lignin and lignin-derived aromatic compounds. Understanding the mechanisms that this strain utilizes for lignin conversion will be key to provide further biological insights for lignin valorization efforts.