One day, shiitake mushrooms may gradually leave the dinner table and find their way into the fuel of cars.
Shiitake mushrooms typically grow on decaying tree trunks in forests, breaking down complex organic materials on the wood into sugar, which they use for sustenance.
The Agricultural Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with several scientists, is focusing on researching whether this property of shiitake mushrooms can be harnessed for fuel production.
Researchers have discovered that the Xyn11A gene in shiitake mushrooms can facilitate this process.
The Xyn11A gene is responsible for enabling shiitake mushrooms to produce xylanase, an enzyme that helps decompose organic materials in wood (such as lignin and cellulose) into glucose and amino acids.
After isolating this gene, scientists began investigating the potential of using the large amounts of xylanase produced to break down agricultural waste, such as rice husks, into sugars. The sugars obtained can then be used to produce ethyl alcohol or other types of fuel.
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