Next Article in Journal
Investigating the Genetic and Molecular Basis of Melanin and Edible Quality in Auricularia cornea
Previous Article in Journal
Laboratory Diagnostics of Aspergillosis: Present State and Future Directions
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
JoF
Volume 12
Issue 5
10.3390/jof12050380
jof-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Fungal Communities Associated with Wooden Coffins in a Prehistoric Burial Cave

by
Nantana Mills
1,
Natasha Mills
1,
Nakarin Suwannarach
1,2,
Nuttapol Noirungsee
1,2,
Jaturong Kumla
1,2,
Sahutchai Inwongwan
1,
Rujipas Yongsawas
1,
Chanon Saksunwiriya
1,
Varis Domethong
3,4,
Rasmi Shoocongdej
4,5 and
Terd Disayathanoowat
1,2,*
1
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
2
Center of Excellence in Microbial Diversity and Sustainable Utilization, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
3
Department of History, Faculty of Humanities, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
4
The Conservation of Ancient Log Coffins of Phi Man Long Long Rak Cave, Mae Hong Son Province Project, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropological Centre, 20, Boromrachachonnani Road, Taling Chan, Bangkok 10170, Thailand
5
Department of Archeology, Faculty of Archeology, Silpakorn University, Bangkok 102000, Thailand
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Fungi 2026, 12(5), 380; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12050380
Submission received: 31 March 2026 / Revised: 18 May 2026 / Accepted: 19 May 2026 / Published: 21 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental and Ecological Interactions of Fungi)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Phi Man Long Long Rak Cave, located in Mae Hong Son Province, northern Thailand, is a prehistoric burial site containing ancient wooden coffins that have undergone biodeterioration, likely due to fungal activity. Both culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches were employed to characterize fungal communities and assess their roles in wood degradation. Culture-dependent analysis identified five Aspergillus isolates from the wooden coffins, most of which produced cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes; some isolates also produced organic acids, indicating significant degradative potential. Culture-independent analysis revealed a community dominated by Aspergillus, together with additional taxa such as Penicillium and Ceriporia that were not detected by cultivation, highlighting greater community diversity and demonstrating the complementarity of the two methods. Functional prediction indicated a predominance of saprotrophic fungi. The presence of shared dominant taxa between soil and coffin-associated substrates suggests ecological connectivity at the soil–coffin interface, although the direction of dispersal cannot be determined from the present data. All tested fungicides inhibited fungal growth, with the highest efficacy observed in the formulation containing the highest proportion of active components. Taken together, these findings provide insights into fungal biodeterioration processes and inform conservation strategies.
Keywords: biodeterioration; cave microbiology; fungal communities; metagenomic biodeterioration; cave microbiology; fungal communities; metagenomic

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Mills, N.; Mills, N.; Suwannarach, N.; Noirungsee, N.; Kumla, J.; Inwongwan, S.; Yongsawas, R.; Saksunwiriya, C.; Domethong, V.; Shoocongdej, R.; et al. Fungal Communities Associated with Wooden Coffins in a Prehistoric Burial Cave. J. Fungi 2026, 12, 380. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12050380

AMA Style

Mills N, Mills N, Suwannarach N, Noirungsee N, Kumla J, Inwongwan S, Yongsawas R, Saksunwiriya C, Domethong V, Shoocongdej R, et al. Fungal Communities Associated with Wooden Coffins in a Prehistoric Burial Cave. Journal of Fungi. 2026; 12(5):380. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12050380

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mills, Nantana, Natasha Mills, Nakarin Suwannarach, Nuttapol Noirungsee, Jaturong Kumla, Sahutchai Inwongwan, Rujipas Yongsawas, Chanon Saksunwiriya, Varis Domethong, Rasmi Shoocongdej, and et al. 2026. "Fungal Communities Associated with Wooden Coffins in a Prehistoric Burial Cave" Journal of Fungi 12, no. 5: 380. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12050380

APA Style

Mills, N., Mills, N., Suwannarach, N., Noirungsee, N., Kumla, J., Inwongwan, S., Yongsawas, R., Saksunwiriya, C., Domethong, V., Shoocongdej, R., & Disayathanoowat, T. (2026). Fungal Communities Associated with Wooden Coffins in a Prehistoric Burial Cave. Journal of Fungi, 12(5), 380. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12050380

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop