Why Sequence the Oyster Mushroom?
Pleurotus ostreatus, the oyster mushroom, is an active lignin degrader in the forests. Lignin is the second most abundant biopolymer on Earth and its breakdown is a necessary step for making cellulose (the most abundant carbon biopolymer) accessible to further enzymatic processes. The understanding of the whole-genome regulation of P. ostreatus lignocellulolytic enzymes would facilitate its use in in-situ bioremediation processes and other biotechnological processes. P. ostreatus is a saprophyte in the wild (i.e., it lives on dead or decaying matter). The comparison of its genome with that of other saprophytic, ectomycorrhizal (having filaments that grow between root cells), and pathogenic basidiomycetes would help in identifying specific gene sets for these different lifestyles. P. ostreatus occupies the third position in the worldwide market of industrially produced mushrooms. This fungus can grow easily on a variety of organic substrates, including agricultural wastes that P. ostrea
