Identification of microorganisms in mushroom compost using ribosomal RNA sequence

Microorganisms in mushroom compost play important roles in commercial mushr oom production. The bioconversion of organic material in mushroom substrate , mushroom fructification, and the development of certain diseases are beli eved to be influenced by the structure and dynamics of microbial communitie s within the mushroom substrate. In a preliminary survey, microorganisms in Phase II commercial mushroom compost were characterized using sequences of genes encoding small subunit RNA (rDNA). Polymerase chain reaction was use d to amplify a specific area of rDNA from individually cultured organisms a s well as from total DNA extracted from compost. Sixty-four rDNA fragments were sequenced in this study. Forty-two of the fragments were bacterial seq uences, which corresponded to 39 different strains representing seven divis ions of bacteria. Twenty-two of the fragments were fungal sequences, which corresponded to 10 different strains representing three different orders. N one of these strains except Bacillus licheniformis, Thermomonospora fusca, and a Thermus species, have been previously reported.