Some species preferentially remove lignin from wood, the degraded cells will consist entirely of cellulose, while others degrade lignin and cellulose simultaneously
This phenomenon is called selective delignification
There is a tremendous amount of interest in using these fungi in industry, because many uses of wood involve removing lignin (e.g., biopulping)
White-rot fungi are common parasites of heartwood in living trees and are aggressive decomposers of woody debris in forest ecosystems