Overproduction of lignin-degrading enzymes by an isolate of Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

Phanerochaete chrysosporium is a white rot fungus which secretes a family of lignin-degrading enzymes under nutrient limitation. PSBL-1 is a mutant of this organism that generates the ligninolytic system under nonlimiting conditions during primary metabolism. Lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, and glyoxal oxidase activities for PSBL-1 under nonlimiting conditions were 4- to 10-fold higher than those of the wild type (WT) under nitrogen-limiting conditions. PSBL-1 was still in the log phase of growth while secreting the enzymes, whereas the WT had ceased to grow by this time. As in the WT, manganese(II) increased manganese peroxidase activity in the mutant. However, manganese also caused an increase in lignin peroxidase and glyoxal oxidase activities in PSBL-1. Addition of veratryl alcohol to the culture medium stimulated lignin peroxidase activity, inhibited glyoxal oxidase activity, and had little effect on manganese peroxidase activity in PSBL-1, as in the WT. Fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) analysis shows production of larger amounts of isozyme H2 in PSBL-1 than in the WT. These properties make PSBL-1 very useful for isolation of large amounts of all ligninolytic enzymes for biochemical study, and they open the possibility of scale-up production for pratical use.     

Lignin peroxidase-negative mutant of the white-rot basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Phanerochaete chrysosporium produces two classes of extracellular heme proteins, designated lignin peroxidases and manganese peroxidases, that play a key role in lignin degradation. In this study we isolated and characterized a lignin peroxidase-negative mutant (lip mutant) that showed 16% of the ligninolytic activity (14C-labeled synthetic lignin----14CO2) exhibited by the wild type. The lip mutant did not produce detectable levels of lignin peroxidase, whereas the wild type, under identical conditions, produced 96 U of lignin peroxidase per liter. Both the wild type and the mutant produced comparable levels of manganese peroxidase and glucose oxidase, a key H2O2-generating secondary metabolic enzyme in P. chrysosporium. Fast protein liquid chromatographic analysis of the concentrated extracellular fluid of the lip mutant confirmed that it produced only heme proteins with manganese peroxidase activity but no detectable lignin peroxidase activity, whereas both lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase activities were produced by the wild type. The lip mutant appears to be a regulatory mutant that is defective in the production of all the lignin peroxidases.     

Addition of veratryl alcohol oxidase activity to manganese peroxidase by site-directed mutagenesis

Manganese peroxidase and lignin peroxidase are ligninolytic heme-containing enzymes secreted by the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Despite structural similarity, these peroxidases oxidize different substrates. Veratryl alcohol is a typical substrate for lignin peroxidase, while manganese peroxidase oxidizes chelated Mn2+. By a single mutation, S168W, we have added veratryl alcohol oxidase activity to recombinant manganese peroxidase expressed in Escherichia coli. The kcat for veratryl alcohol oxidation was 11 s-1, Km for veratryl alcohol approximately 0.49 mM, and Km for hydrogen peroxide approximately 25 microM at pH 2.3. The Km for veratryl alcohol was higher and Km for hydrogen peroxide was lower for this manganese peroxidase mutant compared to two recombinant lignin peroxidase isoenzymes. The mutant retained full manganese peroxidase activity and the kcat was approximately 2.6 x 10(2) s-1 at pH 4.3. Consistent with relative activities with respect to these substrates, Mn2+ strongly inhibited veratryl alcohol oxidation. The single productive mutation in manganese peroxidase suggested that this surface tryptophan residue (W171) in lignin peroxidase is involved in catalysis.     

Ubiquity of lignin-degrading peroxidases among various wood-degrading fungi.

Phanerochaete chrysosporium is rapidly becoming a model system for the study of lignin biodegradation. Numerous studies on the physiology, biochemistry, chemistry, and genetics of this system have been performed. However, P. chrysosporium is not the only fungus to have a lignin-degrading enzyme system. Many other ligninolytic species of fungi, as well as other distantly related organisms which are known to produce lignin peroxidases, are described in this paper. In this study, we demonstrated the presence of the peroxidative enzymes in nine species not previously investigated. The fungi studied produced significant manganese peroxidase activity when they were grown on an oak sawdust substrate supplemented with wheat bran, millet, and sucrose. Many of the fungi also exhibited laccase and/or glyoxal oxidase activity. Inhibitors present in the medium prevented measurement of lignin peroxidase activity. However, Western blots (immunoblots) revealed that several of the fungi produced lignin peroxidase proteins. We concluded from this work that lignin-degrading peroxidases are present in nearly all ligninolytic fungi, but may be expressed differentially in different species. Substantial variability exists in the levels and types of ligninolytic enzymes produced by different white not fungi.     

Polar vineyard pruning extracts increase the activity of the main ligninolytic enzymes in Lentinula edodes cultures

Lentinula edodes is considered an alternative recycling agent for agricultural wastes, and there have been several studies to understand the relationship between its growth and ligninolytic activity. We tested the effect of wood from viticulture pruning, extracted with solvents of differing polarity, on the biomass production and activity pattern of ligninolytic enzymes. The analysis was done by measuring the mycelial dry mass and enzyme activity of liquid growth medium during the culture of L. edodes, adding either single extracts or a combination of extracts. Polar extracts enhanced mycelial production, and the activity patterns of lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, aryl alcohol oxidase, and laccase were comparable to their activities predicted by ligninolysis models proposed for other fungi. We conclude that the polar extracts could be useful for enhancing fungal biomass production and for modifying lignin degradation because the regulation of ligninolytic enzyme activity is differentially influenced by the polarity of the extract.     

Selection and characterization of mutants of Phanerochaete chrysosporium exhibiting ligninolytic activity under nutrient-rich conditions

Synthesis of the ligninolytic system of the wood-degrading fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium is induced during secondary metabolism, brought about by nitrogen, carbon, or sulfur starvation. We describe here a strategy for selection of mutants which are ligninolytic (lignin----CO2) and overproduce lignin-degrading enzymes (ligninases) under nutrient-rich conditions (during primary metabolism). The strategy is based on using an adduct of lysine and a lignin model compound. Ligninase-dependent oxidation of this adduct releases free lysine, which complements the lysine requirements of a lysine auxotroph. Accordingly, a lysine auxotroph was mutagenized by UV irradiation and survivors were plated onto medium containing the adduct and high ammonia nitrogen. Four mutants which overproduce the ligninase isozymes were isolated by this procedure. Further characterization of one of the mutants, PSBL-1, indicated that the predominant isozymes produced are H1 (pI = 4.7) and H2 (pI = 4.4). The ligninase activity of PSBL-1, measured by veratryl alcohol oxidation, peaks on day 5 at over 1,000 U.liter-1. The mutant PSBL-1 was also able to degrade [14C]lignin to 14CO2, indicating that the complete ligninolytic system is deregulated.     

Selection and characterization of mutants of Phanerochaete chrysosporium exhibiting ligninolytic activity under nutrient-rich conditions.

Synthesis of the ligninolytic system of the wood-degrading fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium is induced during secondary metabolism, brought about by nitrogen, carbon, or sulfur starvation. We describe here a strategy for selection of mutants which are ligninolytic (lignin----CO2) and overproduce lignin-degrading enzymes (ligninases) under nutrient-rich conditions (during primary metabolism). The strategy is based on using an adduct of lysine and a lignin model compound. Ligninase-dependent oxidation of this adduct releases free lysine, which complements the lysine requirements of a lysine auxotroph. Accordingly, a lysine auxotroph was mutagenized by UV irradiation and survivors were plated onto medium containing the adduct and high ammonia nitrogen. Four mutants which overproduce the ligninase isozymes were isolated by this procedure. Further characterization of one of the mutants, PSBL-1, indicated that the predominant isozymes produced are H1 (pI = 4.7) and H2 (pI = 4.4). The ligninase activity of PSBL-1, measured by veratryl alcohol oxidation, peaks on day 5 at over 1,000 U.liter-1. The mutant PSBL-1 was also able to degrade [14C]lignin to 14CO2, indicating that the complete ligninolytic system is deregulated.     

黄孢原毛平革菌木素降解酶系的研究进展

黄孢原毛平革菌木素降解酶系主要由木素过氧化物酶、锰过氧化物酶和乙二醛氧化酶组成。由于该酶系特殊的降解机制,除了木质素,它能降解许多种类的有机污染物,因此在环保方面有巨大的应用前景。本文主要综述了国内外对该酶系的研究进展。     

Secretion of Ligninolytic Enzymes and Mineralization of C-Ring-Labelled Synthetic Lignin by Three Phlebia tremellosa Strains

Production of ligninolytic enzymes by three strains of the white rot fungus Phlebia tremellosa (syn. Merulius tremellosus) was studied in bioreactor cultivation under nitrogen-limiting conditions. The Mn(II) concentration of the growth medium strongly affected the secretion patterns of lignin peroxidase and laccase. Two major lignin peroxidase isoenzymes were expressed in all strains. In addition, laccase and glyoxal oxidase were purified and characterized in one strain of P. tremellosa. In contrast, manganese peroxidase was not found in fast protein liquid chromatography profiles of extracellular proteins under either low (2.4 muM) or elevated (24 and 120 muM) Mn(II) concentrations. However, H(2)O(2)- and Mn-dependent phenol red-oxidizing activity was detected in cultures supplemented with higher Mn(II) levels. Mineralization rates of C-ring-labelled synthetic lignin (i.e., dehydrogenation polymerizate) by all strains under a low basal Mn(II) level were similar to those obtained for Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Phlebia radiata. A high manganese concentration repressed the evolution of CO(2) even when a chelating agent, sodium malonate, was included in the medium.     

Production of lignolytic and feed-back type enzymes by Phlebia radiata on different media

Low molecular-weight compounds, structurally related to lignin, increase the production of laccase, lignin peroxidase, manganese dependent peroxidase, and feed-back type enzymes such as glucose oxidase, cellobioso-quinone oxidoreductase, and glyoxal oxidase in the culture of the white rot fungus Phlebia radiata growing on different carbon sources.     

Optimization of a culture medium for ligninolytic enzyme production and synthetic dye decolorization using response surface methodology

A Box-Wilson central composite design was applied to optimize copper, veratryl alcohol and l-asparagine concentrations for Trametes trogii (BAFC 212) ligninolytic enzyme production in submerged fermentation. Decolorization of different dyes (xylidine, malachite green, and anthraquinone blue) by the ligninolytic fluids from the cultures was compared. The addition of copper stimulated laccase and glyoxal oxidase production, but this response was influenced by the medium N-concentration, with improvement higher at low N-levels. The medium that supported the highest ligninolytic production (22.75 U/ml laccase, 0.34 U/ml manganese peroxidase, and 0.20 U/ml glyoxal oxidase) also showed the greatest ability to decolorize the dyes. Only glyoxal oxidase activity limited biodecoloration efficiency, suggesting the involvement of peroxidases in the process. The addition of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (a known laccase mediator) to the ligninolytic fluids increased both their range and rate of decolorization. The cell-free supernatant did not decolorize xylidine, poly R-478, azure B, and malachite green as efficiently as the whole broth, but results were similar in the case of indigo carmine and remazol brilliant blue R. This indicates that the mycelial biomass may supply other intracellular or mycelial-bound enzymes, or factors necessary for the catalytic cycle of the enzymes. It also implies that this fungus implements different strategies to degrade dyes with diverse chemical structures.     

Mutational and kinetic analysis of basic amino acid transport in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Two nitrogen-deregulated mutants of Phanerochaete chrysosporium, der8-2 and der8-5, were isolated by subjecting wild type conidia to gamma irradiation, plating on Poly-R medium containing high levels of nitrogen, and identifying colonies that are able to decolorize Poly-R. The mutants showed high levels of ligninolytic activity (¹⁴C-synthetic lignin ¹⁴CO₂), and lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase and glucose oxidase activities in both low nitrogen (2.4 mM) and high nitrogen (24 mM) media. The wild type on the otherhand displayed these activities in low nitrogen medium but showed little or no activities in high nitrogen medium. Fast protein liquid chromatographic analyses showed that the wild type as well as the der mutants produce three major lignin peroxidase peaks (designated L1, L2 and L3) with lignin peroxidase activity in low nitrogen medium. Furthermore, in low nitrogen medium, mutant der8-5 produced up to fourfold greater lignin peroxidase activity than that produced by the wild type. In high nitrogen medium, the wild type produced no detectable lignin peroxidase peaks whereas the mutants produced peaks L1 and L2, but not L3, and a new lignin peroxidase protein peak designated LN. Mutants der8-2 and der8-5 also produced high levels of glucose oxidase, an enzyme known to be associated with secondary metabolism and an important source of H₂O₂ in ligninolytic cultures, both in low and high nitrogen media. In contrast, the wild type produced high levels of glucose oxidase in low nitrogen medium and only trace amounts of this enzyme in high nitrogen medium. The results of this study indicate that the der mutants are nitrogen-deregulated for the production of a set of secondary metabolic activities associated with lignin degradation such as lignin peroxidases, manganese peroxidases and glucose oxidase.     

Lignin and veratryl alcohol are not inducers of the ligninolytic system of Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

Phanerochaete chrysosporium is a white rot fungus which secretes a family of lignin-degrading enzymes under nutrient limitation. In this work, we investigated the roles of veratryl alcohol and lignin in the ligninolytic system of P. chrysosporium BKM-F-1767 cultures grown under nitrogen-limited conditions. Cultures supplemented with 0.4 to 2 mM veratryl alcohol showed increased lignin peroxidase activity. Addition of veratryl alcohol had no effect on Mn-dependent peroxidase activity and inhibited glyoxal oxidase activity. Azure-casein analysis of acidic proteases in the extracellular fluid showed that protease activity decreased during the early stages of secondary metabolism while lignin peroxidase activity was at its peak, suggesting that proteolysis was not involved in the regulation of lignin peroxidase activity during early secondary metabolism. In cultures supplemented with lignin or veratryl alcohol, no induction of mRNA coding for lignin peroxidase H2 or H8 was observed. Veratryl alcohol protected lignin peroxidase isozymes H2 and H8 from inactivation by H2O2. We conclude that veratryl alcohol acts as a stabilizer of lignin peroxidase activity and not as an inducer of lignin peroxidase synthesis.     

Screening for ligninolytic enzymes in autochthonous fungal strains from Argentina isolated from different substrata

The production of different extracellular ligninolytic enzymes was studied in autochthonous fungal strains from Argentina isolated from litter derived from hydrocarbon-polluted sites and from basidiocarps frowing on wood in forests. The strains tested were cultivated in a carbon-limited medium with shaking. Laccase activity reached higher levels than aryl-alcohol oxidase and manganese-dependent peroxidase activities in liquid cultures from different fungi. No lignin peroxidase activity was found in any strain assayed. Some species are reported for the first time as producers of different ligninolytic enzymes.     

Ligninolytic System Formation by Phanerochaete chrysosporium in Air

This study characterizes the effect of oxygen concentration on the synthesis of ligninolytic enzymes by Phanerochaete chrysosporium immobilized on polyurethane foam cubes in a nonimmersed liquid culture system and maintained under different carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratios and levels. Lignin peroxidase (LIP) activity was obtained in cultures exposed to air when the C/N ratio was low (7.47), i.e., when nitrogen levels were high (C/N = 56/45 mM) or carbon levels were low (C/N = 5.6/4.5 mM). At the low C/N ratio, the fungus was carbon starved and did not produce extracellular polysaccharides. At a high C/N ratio (153), i.e., under conditions of excess carbon (nitrogen limitation) (C/N = 56/2.2 mM), cultures exposed to air produced large amounts of polysaccharide, and LIP activity was detected only in cultures exposed to pure oxygen. Under high-nitrogen conditions, LIP production was 1,800 U/liter in cultures exposed to pure oxygen and 1,300 U/liter in cultures exposed to air, with H1 and H2 being the main isoenzymes. The oxygen level did not significantly alter the isoenzyme profile, nor did low-carbon conditions. The formation of manganese peroxidase was generally less affected by the oxygen level than that of LIP but was considerably reduced by a low C/N ratio. The effects of oxygen level and C/N ratio on the synthesis of glyoxal oxidase paralleled their effects on LIP synthesis except in the case of high nitrogen, which totally suppressed glyoxal oxidase activity.     

Copper induction of lignin-modifying enzymes in the white-rot fungus Trametes trogii

Trametes trogii, a white rot basidiomycete involved in wood decay worldwide, produces several ligninolytic enzymes, laccase being the dominant one, with higher titers than those reported for most other white rot fungi studied up to date. The effect of copper on in vitro production of extracellular ligninolytic activities was studied. CuSO(4)·5H(2)O concentrations from 1.6 μM to 1.5 mM were tested in a synthetic medium with glucose 20 g/L and asparagine 3 g/L. The addition of copper (up to 1 mM) did not affect growth but strongly stimulated ligninolytic enzyme production; faster decolorization of the polymeric dye Poly R-478 was observed as well. Maximal production of manganese peroxidase, laccase, and glyoxal oxidase [1.28 U/mL, 93.8 U/mL (with a specific activity of 720 U/mg protein), and 0.46 U/mL respectively] was attained with 1 mM CuSO(4)·5H(2)O. However, higher copper concentrations inhibited growth and notably decreased manganese peroxidase production, although they did not affect laccase secretion. Laccase activity in the culture filtrate was maximal at 50 C and pH 3.4, and the enzyme was completely stable at pH 4.4 and above, and at 30 C for up to 5 d. Denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of extracellular culture fluids showed two laccase activity bands (mol wt 38 and 60 kDa respectively). The pattern of isoenzyme production was not affected by medium composition but differed with culture age.     

Biodegradation of pentachlorophenol by white rot fungi under ligninolytic and nonligninolytic conditions

The roles of lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, and laccase were investigated in the biodegradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) by several white rot fungi. The disappearance of pentachlorophenol from cultures of wild type strains,P. chrysosporium, Trametes sp. andPleurotus sp., was observed. The activities of manganese peroxidase and laccase were detected inTiametes sp. andPleurotus sp. cultures. However, the activities of ligninolytic enzymes were not detected inP. chrysosporium cultures. Therefore, our results showed that PCP was degraded under ligninolytic as well as nonligninolytic conditions. Indicating that lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, and laccase are not essential in the biodegradation of PCP by white rot fungi.     

Ligninolytic Enzymes of the White Rot Basidiomycete Trametes trogii

The white rot fungus Trametes trogii strain BAFC 463 produced laccase, manganese peroxidase, lignin peroxidase and cellobiose dehydrogenase, as well as two hydrogen peroxide‐producing activities: glucose oxidizing activity and glyoxal oxidase. In high‐N (40 mM N) cultures, the titres of laccase, MnP and GLOX were 27 (6.55 U/ml), 45 (403.00 mU/ml)and 8 (32,14 mU/ml) fold higher, respectively, than those measured in an N‐limited medium. This is consistent with the fact that the ligninolytic system of T. trogii is expressed constitutively. Lower activities of all the enzymes tested were recorded upon decreasing the initial pH of the medium from 6.5 to 4.5. Adding veratryl alcohol improved GLOX production, while laccase activity was stimulated by tryptophan. Supplying Tween 80 strongly reduced the activity of both MnP and GLOX, but increased laccase production. The titre of MnP was affected by the concentration of Mn in the culture medium, the highest levels were obtained with 90 μM Mn (II). LiP activity, as CDH activity, were detected only in the mediumsupplemented with sawdust. In this medium, laccase production reached a maximum of 4.75 U/ml, MnP 747.60 mU/ml and GLOX 117.11 mU/ml. LiP, MnP and GLOX activities were co‐induced, attaining their highest levels at the beginning of secondary metabolism, but while MnP, laccase, GLOX and CDH activities were also present in the primary growth phase, LiP activity appears to beidiophasic. The simultaneous presence of high ligninolytic and hydrogen peroxide producing activities in this fungus makes it an attractive microorganism for future biotechnological applications.     

Secretion of Ligninolytic Enzymes and Mineralization of 14C-Ring-Labelled Synthetic Lignin by Three Phlebia tremellosa Strains

Production of ligninolytic enzymes by three strains of the white rot fungus Phlebia tremellosa (syn. Merulius tremellosus) was studied in bioreactor cultivation under nitrogen-limiting conditions. The Mn(II) concentration of the growth medium strongly affected the secretion patterns of lignin peroxidase and laccase. Two major lignin peroxidase isoenzymes were expressed in all strains. In addition, laccase and glyoxal oxidase were purified and characterized in one strain of P. tremellosa. In contrast, manganese peroxidase was not found in fast protein liquid chromatography profiles of extracellular proteins under either low (2.4 μM) or elevated (24 and 120 μM) Mn(II) concentrations. However, H₂O₂- and Mn-dependent phenol red-oxidizing activity was detected in cultures supplemented with higher Mn(II) levels. Mineralization rates of ¹⁴C-ring-labelled synthetic lignin (i.e., dehydrogenation polymerizate) by all strains under a low basal Mn(II) level were similar to those obtained for Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Phlebia radiata. A high manganese concentration repressed the evolution of ¹⁴CO₂ even when a chelating agent, sodium malonate, was included in the medium.     

Effect of carbon and nitrogen limitation on lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidaseproduction by Phanerochaete flavido-alba

The ligninolytic enzymes lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese dependent peroxidase(MnP), were detected in extracellular fluids of Phanerochaete flavido-alba FPL 106507cultures under carbon or nitrogen limitation. MnP activities were found to be higher than LiPactivities under all growth conditions tested. Higher titres of both peroxidases were obtainedunder carbon limitation in excess nitrogen. Isoelectric points (pIs) observed after FPLC and IEFof concentrated extracellular fluids revealed more acidic pIs for LiP enzymes obtained innitrogen-limited cultures than those in carbon-limited cultures. However, the change in thelimiting growth factor does not significantly affect MnP pIs.