In vivo investigation of chemical alteration in oak wood decayed by Pleurotus ostreatus

Decayed wood samples were collected from naturally infected oak ( Quercus castaneifolia C.A.M.). Fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete white-rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus were identified morphologically and confirmed with rDNA ITS sequencing. Cellulose and lignin compositions were determined and FT-IR spectroscopy was used to collect spectra from decayed and un-decayed wood samples. Histological aspects of decay were monitored by light microscopy. The results of the chemical analysis indicated that P . ostreatus decayed both cellulose and lignin in similar quantities. FT-IR analysis and microscopic images demonstrated that P . ostreatus exhibited simultaneous white-rot in naturally infected oak samples.