Serpula lacrymans reacts with a general, unspecialized chemical response during interaction with mycoparasitic Trichoderma spp. and bacteria

Serpula lacrymans causes structural damage in timber via cellulose and hemicellulose decomposition. Serpula lacrymans shares its habitat with bacteria and fungi, interactions that often result in stress and changed behaviour of the partners. A typical response to environmental stress is the production of bioactive metabolites and pigments. The diversity and function of these metabolites in inter- and intra-kingdom interactions, is largely elusive. Using dual culture approaches and secondary metabolite fingerprinting with high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) it was demonstrated that stress induces an unspecific vs. Similar metabolite patterns were identified when S. lacrymans was co-cultured with different bacteria and mycoparasitic fungi (Trichoderma spp.). By analysing the metabolites produced along the gradient from the contact zone to more remote parts of the mycelium, we show a systemic reaction of S. lacrymans and that direct contact with other microbes is not a necessity to induce secondary metabolites.