A DNA-based fingerprinting technique, Denaturing High Performance Liquid Chromatography (DHPLC) was developed to profile fungal communities colonizing indoor timber. Molecular fungal diversity was assessed using amplification based on the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS1) rDNA of 74 wood samples collected from infected buildings in France. Due to its high sensitivity, the PCR-DHPLC technique was optimised for the detection and identification of wood rot fungi as well as ubiquitous contaminants. Serpula lacrymans was the most the widespread indoor wood-decay fungi and its occurrence accounts for 64% of total wood rot Basidiomycetes detected. The common cellar rot Coniophora spp. was detected in 9 environmental samples. White rot fungi like Donkioporia expansa and Heterobasidion annosum were also found in buildings. Whereas Basidiomycetes like Phlebiopsis gigantea, and Schizoporia radula were detected for the first time in the built environment. Ascomycetes responsible for wood decay were Guignardia vacinii and Oidiodendron griseum. The most prevalent moulds and Blue stain fungi found belong to the Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Cladosporium species. The identification of indoor fungi based on a molecular typing technique has provided useful data in community profiling of wood-decay ecosystem, without prior fungal isolation step and most of all put into evidence the coexistence of different wood rot fungi within the same microbiotope.

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