Dry rot The term "dry rot", or "true dry rot", refers to the decay of timbers from only certain species of fungi that are thought to provide their own source of moisture and nutrients to cause decay in otherwise relatively dry timber. However, there has been no published experimental evidence to support the phenomenon. In modern texts, the term 'dry rot' is used in reference to damage inflicted by either: "Serpula lacrymans" (formerly "Merulius lacrymans") predominantly in the United Kingdom and northern Europe; and/or "Meruliporia incrassata" (which has a number of synonyms, including "Poria incrassata" and "Serpula incrassata") in North America. Both
Serpula lacrymans of 13805 genes. "S. lacrymans"' genome encodes six annotated polyketide synthases (PKS1-PKS6), 15 nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NPS1-NPS4, NPS7, NPS13-NPS15, NPS17, and NPS18), and two hybrids thereof (NPS6, NPS8, and NPS16). Additionally, the genome encodes for various putative adenylate-forming reductases (NPS5, NPS9-NPS12) (Eastwood et al., 2011). "NPS3" was overexpressed in E. coli and characterized as an atromentin/quinone synthetase that catalyzes the formation of atromentin, similar to GreA; InvA1,2 and 5; and AtrA from Suillus grevillei, Tapinella panuoides, Paxillus involutus, respectively. "NPS3" and its adjacent clustered aminotransferase gene ("AMT1") were also found to be up-regulated during co-incubation with bacteria (Tauber et al.,