Nutritional regulation of lignin degradation by phanerochaete chrysosporium

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5428229

Jeffries, T W; Choi, S; Kirk, T K

Previous studies have shown that a lignin-degrading system appears in cultures of the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium in response to nitrogen starvation, apparently as part of secondary metabolism. The influence of limiting carbohydrate, sulfur, or phorphorus and the effect of varying the concentrations of four trace metals, Ca2+, and Mg2+ was examined. Limitation of carbohydrate or sulfur but not limitation of phosphorus triggered ligninolytic activity. When only carbohydrate was limiting, supplementary carbohydrate caused a transient repression of activity. In carbohydrate-limited cultures, ligninolytic activity appeared when the supplied carbohydrate was depleted, and this activity was associated with a decrease in mycelial dry weight. The amount of lignin degraded depended on the amount of carbohydrate provided, which determined the amounts of mycelium produced during primary growth. Carbohydrate-limited cultures synthesized only small amounts of the secondary metabolite veratryl alcohol compared with nitrogen-limited cultures. L-Glutamate sharply repressed ligninolytic activity in carbohydrate-starved cultures, but NH4+ did not. Ligninolytic activity was also triggered in cultures supplied with 37 uM sulfur as the only limiting nutrient. The balance of trace metals, Mg2+, and Ca2+ was important for lignin degradation. (Refs. 22).

• Research Organization: Forest Products Lab., Forest Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Madison, Wisconsin 53705.
• OSTI ID: 5428229
• Journal Information: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) Vol. 42:2; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
140504* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
550700 -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BIODEGRADATION
CALCIUM
CARBOHYDRATES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CULTURE MEDIA
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
FUNGI
LIGNIN
METALS
NONMETALS
NUTRIENTS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS
PLANTS
POLYSACCHARIDES
SACCHARIDES
SULFUR
TRACE AMOUNTS