Transcriptome Analysis of White-Rot Fungi in Response to Lignocellulose or Lignocellulose-Derived Material Using RNA Sequencing Technology

White-rot fungi are the only organisms that can completely degrade all components of lignocellulosic biomass, including the recalcitrant lignin polymer. Lignin degradation is important for the industrial application of lignocellulosic biomass as a raw material for producing value-added chemicals and materials. Therefore, elucidating the lignin degradation mechanism in white-rot fungi will help researchers develop efficient and eco-friendly methods enabling the production of value-added chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass. A transcriptome analysis is an effective way to compare gene expression patterns between different samples under diverse conditions and can provide insights into biological processes. The democratization of next-generation sequencing technology, especially RNA-sequencing, has made transcriptome sequencing and analysis a common research approach for many laboratories. In this review, we focus on the transcriptome profiles of two well-characterized white-rot fungi (Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Dichomitus squalens) in response to various lignocellulosic materials. The application of RNA-seq technology combining with other techniques remains the best approach for investigating fungal secretomes and elucidating the mechanisms of fungal responses to lignocellulose.