What molecular biology can tell us about the biodegradation of lignocellulose: the utilization of molecular techniques for the detection, identification and enhanced understanding of wood degrading organisms

Molecular techniques are now routinely used in the identification, detection and analysis of wood degrading organisms. An overview of some of the early work on nucleic acid isolation and characterization will be followed by a discussion of the power of sequencing and other procedures for better understanding: the mechanisms involved in the biological degradation of wood, the metabolic basis of preservative function and ultimately the evolutionary history and ecological function of some of these unique organisms.