Laboratory Wood Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo Noko University, Tokyo, Japan;Biotechnology Research Laboratory, Kobe Steel Ltd., Kobe, Japan;Institute of Agricultural Engineering, The University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
Abstract:
Abstract In the degradation of lignin by the wood-rotting fungus Coriolus versicolor , understanding the metabolism of biphenyl structure is one of the most important steps in elucidation of the depolymerization process. This study gave the first evidence of aromatic ring fission of a biphenyl structure type by C. versicolor . The degradation of biphenyl structures of lignin by this fungus occurred to a slight extent as a result of a non-specific system. This phenomenon was observed only in a medium in which phenol oxidase was actively produced by this fungus.