The effects of steam explosion (1.5 MPa, 1 min) on the treatment of rice straw with Pleurotus ostreatus were evaluated in terms of the change in composition of the components and the susceptibility to enzymatic hydrolysis. When rice straw was pretreated with a steam explosion prior to biological treatment, the treatment time required for obtaining a 33% net glucose yield was reduced to 36 days from 60 days. The reduction is probably due to loosening of networks of Mason lignin with sugar moieties and partial collapse of the structure during the biological treatment. (C) 2010, The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. All rights reserved.