Screening of basidiomycetes for lignin peroxidase genes using a DNA probe

Bundling the removal of emerging contaminants with the production of ligninolytic enzymes from residual streams

Abstract

Enzymes offer interesting features as biological catalysts for industry: high specificity, activity under mild conditions, accessibility, and environmental friendliness. Being able to produce enzymes in large quantities and having them available in a stable and reusable form reduces the production costs of any enzyme-based process. Agricultural residues have recently demonstrated their potential as substrates to produce ligninolytic enzymes by different white rot fungi. In this study, the biotechnological production of a manganese peroxidase (MnP) by Irpex lacteus was conducted through solid-state fermentation (SSF) with wheat straw as substrate and submerged fermentation (SmF) employing wheat straw extract (WSE). The obtained enzyme cocktail also showed manganese-independent activity (MiP), related to the presence of a short MnP and a dye-decolorizing peroxidase (DyP) which was confirmed by shotgun proteomic analyses. In view of the enhanced production of ligninolytic enzymes in SmF, different parameters such as WSE concentration and nitrogen source were evaluated. The highest enzyme titers were obtained with a medium formulated with glucose and peptone (339 U/L MnP and 15 U/L MiP). The scale-up to a 30 L reactor achieved similar activities, demonstrating the feasibility of enzyme production from the residual substrate at different production scales. Degradation of five emerging pollutants was performed to demonstrate the high oxidative capacity of the enzyme. Complete removal of hormones and bisphenol A was achieved in less than 1 h, whereas almost 30% degradation of carbamazepine was achieved in 24 h, which is a significant improvement compared to previous enzymatic treatments of this compound.

Key points

• Wheat straw extract is suitable for the growth of I. lacteus.

• The enzyme cocktail obtained allows the degradation of emerging contaminants.

• Mn-dependent and Mn-independent activities increases the catalytic potential.

Graphical abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00253-022-11776-7.

Activities of Secreted Aryl Alcohol Quinone Oxidoreductases from Pycnoporus cinnabarinus Provide Insights into Fungal Degradation of Plant Biomass

Auxiliary activities family 3 subfamily 2 (AA3_2) from the CAZy database comprises various functions related to ligninolytic enzymes, such as fungal aryl alcohol oxidases (AAO) and glucose oxidases, both of which are flavoenzymes. The recent study of the Pycnoporus cinnabarinus CIRM BRFM 137 genome combined with its secretome revealed that four AA3_2 enzymes are secreted during biomass degradation. One of these AA3_2 enzymes, scf184803.g17, has recently been produced heterologously in Aspergillus niger Based on the enzyme's activity and specificity, it was assigned to the glucose dehydrogenases (PcinnabarinusGDH [PcGDH]). Here, we analyze the distribution of the other three AA3_2 enzymes (scf185002.g8, scf184611.g7, and scf184746.g13) to assess their putative functions. These proteins showed the highest homology with aryl alcohol oxidase from Pleurotus eryngii Biochemical characterization demonstrated that they were also flavoenzymes harboring flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) as a cofactor and able to oxidize a wide variety of phenolic and nonphenolic aryl alcohols and one aliphatic polyunsaturated primary alcohol. Though presenting homology with fungal AAOs, these enzymes exhibited greater efficiency in reducing electron acceptors (quinones and one artificial acceptor) than molecular oxygen and so were defined as aryl-alcohol:quinone oxidoreductases (AAQOs) with two enzymes possessing residual oxidase activity (PcAAQO2 and PcAAQO3). Structural comparison of PcAAQO homology models with P. eryngii AAO demonstrated a wider substrate access channel connecting the active-site cavity to the solvent, explaining the absence of activity with molecular oxygen. Finally, the ability of PcAAQOs to reduce radical intermediates generated by laccase from P. cinnabarinus was demonstrated, shedding light on the ligninolytic system of this fungus.

Manganese Is Not Required for Biobleaching of Oxygen-Delignified Kraft Pulp by the White Rot Fungus Bjerkandera sp. Strain BOS55

The white rot fungus Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55 extensively delignified and bleached oxygen-delignified eucalyptus kraft pulp handsheets. Biologically mediated brightness gains of up to 14 ISO (International Standards Organization units) were obtained, providing high final brightness values of up to 80% ISO. In nitrogen-limited cultures (2.2 mM N), manganese (Mn) greatly improved manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP) production. However, the biobleaching was not affected by the Mn nutrient regimen, ranging from 1,000 (mu)M added Mn to below the detection limit of 0.26 (mu)M Mn in EDTA-extracted pulp medium. The lowest Mn concentration tested was at least several orders of magnitude lower than the K(infm) known for MnP. Consequently, it was concluded that Mn is not required for biobleaching in Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55. Nonetheless, fast protein liquid chromatography profiles indicated that MnP was the predominant oxidative enzyme produced even under culture conditions in the near absence of manganese. High nitrogen (22 mM N) and exogenous veratryl alcohol (2 mM) repressed biobleaching in Mn-deficient but not in Mn-sufficient culture medium. No correlation was observed between the titers of extracellular peroxidases and the biobleaching. However, the decolorization rate of the polyaromatic dye Poly R-478 was moderately correlated to the biobleaching under a wide range of Mn and N nutrient regimens.

Manganese-Mediated Lignin Degradation by Pleurotus pulmonarius

Pleurotus pulmonarius produced the strongest degradation of lignin during solid-state fermentation of [(sup14)C]lignin wheat straw with different fungi. A manganese-oxidizing peroxidase seemed to be involved in lignin attack, since the addition of Mn(sup2+) to the culture increased lignin mineralization by ca. 125%. This enzyme was purified and characterized from both solid-state fermentation and liquid cultures.

Biological treatment of the effluent from a bleached kraft pulp mill using basidiomycete and zygomycete fungi

Three white-rot fungi (Pleurotus sajor caju, Trametes versicolor and Phanerochaete chrysosporium) and one soft-rot fungi (Rhizopus oryzae) species confirmed their potential for future applications in the biological treatment of effluents derived from the secondary treatment of a bleached kraft pulp mill processing Eucalyptus globulus. Among the four species P. sajor caju and R. oryzae were the most effective in the biodegradation of organic compounds present in the effluent, being responsible for the reduction of relative absorbance (25-46% at 250 nm and 72-74% at 465 nm) and of chemical oxygen demand levels (74 to 81%) after 10 days of incubation. Laccase (Lac), lignin (Lip) and manganese peroxidases (MnP) expression varied among fungal species, where Lac and LiP activities were correlated with the degradation of organic compounds in the effluent treated with P. sajor caju. The first two axes of a principal component analysis explained 88.9% of the total variation among sub-samples treated with the four fungus species, after different incubation periods. All the variables measured contributed positively to the first component except for the MnP enzyme activity which was the only variable contributing negatively to the first component. Absorbances at 465 nm, LiP and Lac enzyme activities were the variables with more weight on the second component. P. sajor caju revealed to be the only species able to perform the biological treatment without promoting an increment in the toxicity of the effluent to the Vibrio fischeri, as it was assessed by the Microtox assay. The opposite was recorded for the treatments with the other three species of fungus. EC(50-5 min) values ranging between 28 and 57% (effluent concentrations) were recorded even after 10 to 13 days of treatment with P. chrysosporium, R. oryzae or with T. versicolor.

Induction of extracellular hydroxyl radical production by white-rot fungi through quinone redox cycling

A simple strategy for the induction of extracellular hydroxyl radical (OH) production by white-rot fungi is presented. It involves the incubation of mycelium with quinones and Fe(3+)-EDTA. Succinctly, it is based on the establishment of a quinone redox cycle catalyzed by cell-bound dehydrogenase activities and the ligninolytic enzymes (laccase and peroxidases). The semiquinone intermediate produced by the ligninolytic enzymes drives OH production by a Fenton reaction (H(2)O(2) + Fe(2+) --> OH + OH(-) + Fe(3+)). H(2)O(2) production, Fe(3+) reduction, and OH generation were initially demonstrated with two Pleurotus eryngii mycelia (one producing laccase and versatile peroxidase and the other producing just laccase) and four quinones, 1,4-benzoquinone (BQ), 2-methoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (MBQ), 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (DBQ), and 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (menadione [MD]). In all cases, OH radicals were linearly produced, with the highest rate obtained with MD, followed by DBQ, MBQ, and BQ. These rates correlated with both H(2)O(2) levels and Fe(3+) reduction rates observed with the four quinones. Between the two P. eryngii mycelia used, the best results were obtained with the one producing only laccase, showing higher OH production rates with added purified enzyme. The strategy was then validated in Bjerkandera adusta, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Phlebia radiata, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus, and Trametes versicolor, also showing good correlation between OH production rates and the kinds and levels of the ligninolytic enzymes expressed by these fungi. We propose this strategy as a useful tool to study the effects of OH radicals on lignin and organopollutant degradation, as well as to improve the bioremediation potential of white-rot fungi.

New oxidase from Bjerkandera arthroconidial anamorph that oxidizes both phenolic and nonphenolic benzyl alcohols

A new flavooxidase is described from a Bjerkandera arthroconidial anamorph. Its physicochemical characteristics, a monomeric enzyme containing non-covalently bound flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), and several catalytic properties, such as oxidation of aromatic and polyunsaturated aliphatic primary alcohols, are similar to those of Pleurotus eryngii aryl-alcohol oxidase (AAO). However, it also efficiently oxidizes phenolic benzyl and cinnamyl alcohols that are typical substrates of vanillyl-alcohol oxidase (VAO), a flavooxidase from a different family, characterized by its multimeric nature and presence of covalently-bound FAD. The enzyme also differs from P. eryngii AAO by having extremely high efficiency oxidizing chlorinated benzyl alcohols (1000-1500 s(-1) mM(-1)), a feature related to the different alcohol metabolites secreted by the Pleurotus and Bjerkandera species including chloroaromatics, and higher activity on aromatic aldehydes. What is even more intriguing is the fact that, the new oxidase is optimally active at pH 6.0 on both p-anisyl and vanillyl alcohols, suggesting a mechanism for phenolic benzyl alcohol oxidation that is different from that described in VAO, which proceeds via the substrate phenolate anion formed at basic pH. Based on the above properties, and its ADP-binding motif, partially detected after N-terminus sequencing, the new enzyme is classified as a member of the GMC (glucose-methanol-choline oxidase) oxidoreductase family oxidizing both AAO and VAO substrates.

Effect of culture temperature on the heterologous expression of Pleurotus eryngii versatile peroxidase in Aspergillus hosts

Production of recombinant versatile peroxidase in Aspergillus hosts was optimized through the modification of temperature during bioreactor cultivations. To further this purpose, the cDNA encoding a versatile peroxidase of Pleurotus eryngii was expressed under control of the alcohol dehydrogenase (alcA) promoter of Aspergillus nidulans. A dependence of recombinant peroxidase production on cultivation temperature was found. Lowering the culture temperature from 28 to 19 degrees C enhanced the level of active peroxidase 5.8-fold and reduced the effective proteolytic activity twofold. Thus, a maximum peroxidase activity of 466 U L(-1) was reached. The same optimization scheme was applied to a recombinant Aspergillus niger that bore the alcohol dehydrogenase regulator (alcR), enabling transformation with the peroxidase cDNA under the same alcA promoter. However, with this strain, the peroxidase activity was not improved, while the effective proteolytic activity was increased between 3- and 11-fold compared to that obtained with A. nidulans.

Controversial role of fungal laccases in decreasing the antibacterial effect of olive mill waste-waters

Antibacterial diffusion tests (against Bacillus megaterium) detected both bacterial growth-promoting and growth-inhibiting components in olive mill waste-water (OMW). Mixtures of OMW aromatic components showed antibacterial effects that did not show antibacterial activity when tested as individual compounds. Strains of white rot fungi (WRF) producing different patterns of lignin modifying enzymes (LMEs) have been evaluated for OMW remediation under nutritional conditions affecting the LMEs produced. The decrease of both the content in OMW phenols and in the OMW antibacterial activity was compared with fungal growth and LMEs production. OMW addition to the cultures increased fungal growth and laccase activity irrespectively of the nutritional conditions of the cultures. Laccase was the sole LME activity that increased after OMW addition to the cultures. Neither the increased growth of WRF in OMW-containing cultures, their content in laccase nor the amount of OMW phenols were direct indications of a greater decrease in OMW antibacterial effect. The higher decrease in OMW antibacterial activity was obtained in cultures of Phanerochaete flavido-alba in an N-rich media.

An anamorph of the white-rot fungus Bjerkandera adusta capable of colonizing and degrading compact disc components

A Geotrichum-like fungus isolated from a biodeteriorated compact disc (CD) was able to degrade in vitro the components of different CD types. The fungal hyphae inside the CD fragments grew through the aluminium layer and produced the solubilization of this metal. Furthermore, examination of CDs by scanning electron microscopy showed that the fungus was able to destroy the pits and lands structures grooved in the polycarbonate layer, confirming degradation of this aromatic polymer. The fungus secretes aryl-alcohol oxidase and Mn2+-oxidizing peroxidase, two kinds of oxidoreductases characteristic of ligninolytic basidiomycetes. Analysis of the ITS region of ribosomal DNA, as well as the morphological characteristics, the lack of sexual forms and the profile of enzymes secreted in liquid medium identified the fungus as a Geotrichum-like anamorph of Bjerkandera adusta (Willd.) P. Karst.

Evaluation of pretreatment with Pleurotus ostreatus for enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw

The effects of biological pretreatment of rice straw using four white-rot fungi (Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Trametes versicolor, Ceriporiopsis subvermispora, and Pleurotus ostreatus) were evaluated on the basis of quantitative and structural changes in the components of the pretreated rice straw as well as susceptibility to enzymatic hydrolysis. Of these white-rot fungi, P. ostreatus selectively degraded the lignin fraction of rice straw rather than the holocellulose component. When rice straw (water content of 60%) was pretreated with P. ostreatus for 60 d, the total weight loss and the degree of Klason lignin degraded were 25% and 41%, respectively. After the pretreatment, the residual amounts of cellulose and hemicellulose were 83% and 52% of those in untreated rice straw, respectively. By enzymatic hydrolysis with a commercial cellulase preparation for 48 h, 52% holocellulose and 44% cellulose in the pretreated rice straw were solubilized. The net sugar yields based on the amounts of holocellulose and cellulose of untreated rice straw were 33% for total soluble sugar from holocellulose and 32% for glucose from cellulose. The SEM observations showed that the increase in susceptibility of rice straw to enzymatic hydrolysis by pretreatment with P. ostreatus is caused by partial degradation of the lignin seal. When the content of Klason lignin was less than 15% of the total weight of the pretreated straw, enhanced degrees of enzymatic solubilization of holocellulose and cellulose fractions were observed as the content of Klason lignin decreased.

Screening of basidiomycetes and xylariaceous fungi for lignin peroxidase and laccase gene-specific sequences

Lignin peroxidase and laccase gene-specific PCR primers were used to screen 38 diverse basidiomycetes and xylariaceous fungi. Lignin peroxidase gene-specific sequences were obtained for basidiomycetes only and were highly divergent. Possession of laccase genes was relatively widespread among basidiomycetes, and is shown for the first time in Xylariaceae. All sequences were highly conserved with no variation resulting in changes to predicted amino acid sequence. Those basidiomycetes shown to possess lignin peroxidase and laccase genes also produced the enzyme in vitro. Conversely none of the xylariaceous fungi shown to possess laccase genes were able to do so, whilst others decolorized Poly R yet yielded no PCR amplicons.

Production of new unsaturated lipids during wood decay by ligninolytic basidiomycetes

Lipids were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for a 7-week in vitro decay of eucalypt wood by four ligninolytic basidiomycetes. The sound wood contained up to 75 mg of lipophilic compounds per 100 g of wood. Hydrolysis of sterol esters, which represented 38% of total wood lipids, occurred during the fungal decay. The initial increase of linoleic and other free unsaturated fatty acids paralleled the decrease of sterol esters. Moreover, new lipid compounds were found at advanced stages of wood decay that were identified from their mass spectra as unsaturated dicarboxylic acids consisting of a long aliphatic chain attached to the C-3 position of itaconic acid. These dicarboxylic acids were especially abundant in the wood treated with Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (up to 24 mg per 100 g of wood) but also were produced by Phlebia radiata, Pleurotus pulmonarius, and Bjerkandera adusta. We hypothesize that three main alkylitaconic acids (tetradecylitaconic, cis-7-hexadecenylitaconic, and hexadecylitaconic acids) are synthesized by fungi in condensation reactions involving palmitic, oleic, and stearic acids. We suggest that both wood unsaturated fatty acids (present in free form or released from esters during natural decay) and unsaturated metabolites synthesized by fungi could serve as a source for peroxidizable lipids in lignin degradation by white rot basidiomycetes.

Fungal peroxidases: molecular aspects and applications

Peroxidases are oxidoreductases that utilize hydrogen peroxide to catalyze oxidative reactions. A large number of peroxidases have been identified in fungal species and are being characterized at the molecular level. In this manuscript we review the current knowledge on the molecular aspects of this type of enzymes. We present an overview of the research efforts undertaken in deciphering the structural basis of the catalytic properties of fungal peroxidases and discuss molecular genetics and protein homology aspects of this enzyme class. Finally, we summarize the potential biotechnological applications of these enzymes and evaluate recent advances on their expression in heterologous systems for production purposes.

Identification of a novel series of alkylitaconic acids in wood cultures of Ceriporiopsis subvermispora by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

A novel series of long-chain unsaturated dicarboxylic acids consisting of a long aliphatic chain attached to the C-3 position of itaconic acid has been identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry during in vitro decay of eucalypt wood by the white-rot basidiomycete Ceriporiopsis subvermispora. The major compounds were identified as tetradecyl-, 7-hexadecenyl- and hexadecylitaconic acids by their mass fragmentation patterns. Other members of the same compound series, identified as dodecanyl-, tridecanyl-, tetradecenyl-, pentadecanyl-, octadecenyl- and octadecanylitaconic acids, were present in very minor amounts or traces. Whereas hexadecenylitaconic acid has already been reported in cultures of C. subvermispora, to our knowledge this is the first report of the presence of the other alkylitaconic acids in fungal cultures. These new alkylitaconic-type metabolites may constitute a source for peroxidizable lipids involved in lignin degradation during wood decay by C. subvermispora and other white-rot basidiomycetes.

Time course of fungal removal of lipophilic extractives from Eucalyptus globulus wood

Free and esterified sitosterol, the main lipophilic constituents of eucalypt wood extractives, have been associated with the formation of pitch deposits during manufacturing of environmentally-sound paper pulp from Eucalyptus globulus wood. These, and other lipophilic compounds, were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the course of wood treatments (up to 7 weeks) with four extractive-degrading fungi in order to optimize biotechnological control of pitch deposition in eucalypt pulp (with moderate loss of wood weight). In contrast to commercialized fungi used in pitch control, which are not able to degrade sitosterol, the fungi investigated in this paper produced a rapid decline of both free and esterified sterols in wood. The degradation rate of steroid hydrocarbons and squalene was moderate, and the amount of steroid ketones (probably formed during oxidative degradation of steroids) and triglycerides increased at different stages of wood treatment. Up to 95% removal of total steroids (including free and esterified sterols, steroid ketones and steroid hydrocarbons) by fungi was obtained at the end of wood treatment under the solid-state fermentation conditions used. The most promising results from the point of view of industrial applicability, however, were obtained after 1-2 weeks of treatment with either Phlebia radiata or Poria subvermispora, which enabled 70% steroid removal with a moderate wood weight loss of 1-4%.

Southern blot screening for lignin peroxidase and aryl-alcohol oxidase genes in 30 fungal species

Screening to detect genes encoding lignin peroxidase (LiP) and aryl-alcohol oxidase (AAO) has been carried out with 30 fungal strain using DNA probes from genes lpo of Phanerochaete chrysosporium (encoding LiP isoenzyme H8) and aao of Pleurotus eryngii. Evidence for the presence of genes closely related to lpo was found in Bjerkandera adusta, Fomes fomentarius, Ganoderma applanatum, Ganoderma australe, Lentinula degener, Peniophora gigantea, P. chrysosporium, Phanerochaete flavido-alba and Trametes tersicolor, whereas the gene aao was detected in Pleurotus species and B. adusta. The presence of both genes was only detected in B. adusta. These results suggest that different enzymatic system, formed by enzymes encoded by different genes, are responsible for lignin degradation by white-rot fungi.

Formation of acyl radical in lipid peroxidation of linoleic acid by manganese-dependent peroxidase from Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Bjerkandera adusta

Lipid peroxidation by managanese peroxidase (MnP) is reported to decompose recalcitrant polycyclic aromatic hydrocabon (PAH) and nonphenolic lignin models. To elucidate the oxidative process, linoleic acid and 13(S)-hydroperoxy-9Z,11E-octadecadienoic acid [13(S)-HPODE] were reacted with MnPs from Ceriporiopsis subvermispora and Bjerkandera adusta and the free radicals produced were analyzed by ESR. When the MnPs were reacted with 13(S)-HPODE in the presence of Mn(II), H2O2 and tert-nitrosobutane (t-NB), the ESR spectrum contained a sharp triplet of acyl radical (aN = 0.81 mT). Formation of acyl radical was also observed in the reactions of Mn(III)-tartrate with 13(S)-HPODE and with linoleic acid, but the latter reaction occurred explosively after an induction period of around 30 min. Reactions of MnP with linoleic acid in the presence of Mn(II), H2O2 and t-NB gave no spin adducts while addition of t-NB after preincubation of linoleic acid with MnP/Mn(II)/H2O2 for 2 h gave spin adducts of carbon-centered (aN = 1.53 mT, aH = 0.21 mT) and acyl (aN = 0.81 mT) radicals. In contrast to linoleic acid, methyl linoleate and oleic acid were not peroxidized by MnP and chelated Mn(III) within a few hours, indicating that structures containing both the 1,4-pentadienyl moiety and a free carboxyl group are necessary for inducing the peroxidation in a short reaction time. These results indicate that MnP-dependent lipid peroxidation is not initiated by direct abstraction of hydrogen from the bis-allylic position during turnover but proceeds by a Mn(III)-dependent hydrogen abstraction from enols and subsequent propagation reactions involving the formation of acyl radical from lipid hydroperoxide. This finding expands the role of chelated Mn(III) from a phenol oxidant to a strong generator of free radicals from lipids and lipid hydroperoxides in lignin biodegradation.

Degradation of three phenylurea herbicides (chlortoluron, isoproturon and diuron) by micromycetes isolated from soil

As part of a study conducted on the fate of xenobiotics in the environment, a selection of 100 strains of micromycetes (Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes and Yeasts) have been cultivated in liquid synthetic medium with 3 phenylurea herbicides: chlortoluron and isoproturon (100mg L-1) and diuron (20mg L-1). While 17 strains depleted isoproturon over 50% only 4 depleted diuron and 2 chlortoluron at the same level. The best results were obtained with Bjerkandera adusta and Oxysporus sp which were the most efficient towards the 3 substrates. After 2 weeks Bjerkandera adusta depleted chlortoluron 98%, diuron 92% and isoproturon 88%.

Mechanism of peroxidase inactivation in liquid cultures of the ligninolytic fungus pleurotus pulmonarius

It has recently been reported that Pleurotus pulmonarius secretes a versatile peroxidase that oxidizes Mn2+, as well as different phenolic and nonphenolic aromatic compounds; this enzyme has also been detected in other Pleurotus species and in Bjerkandera species. During culture production of the enzyme, the activity of the main peak was as high as 1,000 U/liter (measured on the basis of the Mn3+-tartrate formation) but this peak was very ephemeral due to enzyme instability (up to 80% of the activity was lost within 15 h). In culture filtrates inactivation was even faster; all peroxidase activity was lost within a few hours. Using different inhibitor compounds, we found that proteases were not responsible for the decrease in peroxidase activity. Peroxidase instability coincided with an increase in the H2O2 concentration, which reached 200 μM when filtrates were incubated for several hours. It also coincided with the onset of biosynthesis of anisylic compounds and a decrease in the pH of the culture. Anisyl alcohol is the natural substrate of the enzyme aryl-alcohol oxidase, the main source of extracellular H2O2 in Pleurotus cultures, and addition of anisyl alcohol to filtrates containing stable peroxidase activity resulted in rapid inactivation. A decrease in the culture pH could also dramatically affect the stability of the P. pulmonarius peroxidase, as shown by using pH values ranging from 6 to 3.25, which resulted in an increase in the level of inactivation by 10 μM H2O2 from 5 to 80% after 1 h. Moreover, stabilization of the enzyme was observed after addition of catalase, Mn2+, or some phenols or after dialysis of the culture filtrate. We concluded that extracellular H2O2 produced by the fungus during oxidation of aromatic metabolites is responsible for inactivation of the peroxidase and that the enzyme can protect itself in the presence of different reducing substrates.

Lignin-degrading enzyme production by Bjerkandera adusta immobilized on polyurethane foam

Production of the lignin-degrading enzymes lignin peroxidase (Lip), manganese peroxidase (MnP), and laccase (Lac) by the white-rot fungus Bjerkandera adusta was investigated experimentally using polyurethane foam (PUF) as a carrier of immobilized fungal mycelia. An immobilized cell culture with a low-nitrogen medium yielded significantly greater LiP, MnP, and Lac activities in comparison with those obtained in a liquid culture. The maximum activities of the three enzymes were 450, 370, and 100 U/ml, respectively, under the following incubation condition: glucose concentration, 20 g/l; temperature, 30 degrees C; pH 4.5. The activities of MnP and Lac were significantly higher than those reported using other incubation methods. Lignin was degraded to the extent of 40% and its decolorization ratio was about 70% at an incubation time of 40 h using lignin-degrading enzymes from B. adusta. Six different isozymes of MnP were synthesized by B. adusta, two of which exhibited high MnP activity. Our preliminary finding that extracellular enzymes from B. adusta are capable of degrading and decoloring lignin makes these enzymes attractive for further research aimed at their large-scale application in lignin depolymerization, pulp biobleaching, and the degradation of toxic pollutants.

Purification and characterization of peroxidases from the dye-decolorizing fungus Bjerkandera adusta

A peroxidase oxidizing Mn2+ (MnP) is described for the first time in Bjerkandera adusta, a fungus efficiently degrading xenobiotic compounds. The MnP appeared as two isoenzymes, which were purified to homogeneity together with two lignin peroxidases (LiP). Their N-terminal sequences were identical, but the MnP isoenzymes showed more basic isoelectric points and differences in amino acid composition and catalytic properties. The B. adusta LiP is similar to LiP from Phanerochaete chrysoporium. However, the interest of the MnP described here is related to its ability to catalyze Mn(2+)-mediated as well as Mn(2+)-independent reactions on aromatic compounds, which may be of use for applications in biotechnology and environmental technology.

Successive mineralization and detoxification of benzo[a]pyrene by the white rot fungus Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55 and indigenous microflora

White rot fungi can oxidize high-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) rapidly to polar metabolites, but only limited mineralization takes place. The objectives of this study were to determine if the polar metabolites can be readily mineralized by indigenous microflora from several inoculum sources, such as activated sludge, forest soils, and PAH-adapted sediment sludge, and to determine if such metabolites have decreased mutagenicity compared to the mutagenicity of the parent PAH. 14C-radiolabeled benzo[a]pyrene was subjected to oxidation by the white rot fungus Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55. After 15 days, up to 8.5% of the [14C]benzo[a]pyrene was recovered as 14CO2 in fungal cultures, up to 73% was recovered as water-soluble metabolites, and only 4% remained soluble in dibutyl ether. Thin-layer chromatography analysis revealed that many polar fluorescent metabolites accumulated. Addition of indigenous microflora to fungal cultures with oxidized benzo[a]pyrene on day 15 resulted in an initially rapid increase in the level of 14CO2 recovery to a maximal value of 34% by the end of the experiments (>150 days), and the level of water-soluble label decreased to 16% of the initial level. In fungal cultures not inoculated with microflora, the level of 14CO2 recovery increased to 13.5%, while the level of recovery of water-soluble metabolites remained as high as 61%. No large differences in 14CO2 production were observed with several inocula, showing that some polar metabolites of fungal benzo[a]pyrene oxidation were readily degraded by indigenous microorganisms, while other metabolites were not. Of the inocula tested, only PAH-adapted sediment sludge was capable of directly mineralizing intact benzo[a]pyrene, albeit at a lower rate and to a lesser extent than the mineralization observed after combined treatment with white rot fungi and indigenous microflora. Fungal oxidation of benzo[a]pyrene resulted in rapid and almost complete elimination of its high mutagenic potential, as observed in the Salmonella typhimurium revertant test performed with strains TA100 and TA98. Moreover, no direct mutagenic metabolite could be detected during fungal oxidation. The remaining weak mutagenic activity of fungal cultures containing benzo[a]pyrene metabolites towards strain TA98 was further decreased by subsequent incubations with indigenous microflora.

Purification and characterization of two lignin peroxidase isozymes produced by Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55

The white-rot fungus Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55 excretes at least seven lignin peroxidase (LiP) isozymes. Two of these, LiP-2 and LiP-5 (molecular weight 40-42 kDa), were purified to homogeneity. Both isozymes had the same N-terminal amino acid sequence which showed strong homology with LiP isozymes produced by other white-rot fungi. The kinetics of both isozymes were similar. LiP-5 oxidized veratryl alcohol optimally only in the presence of H2O2 near pH 3.0 (16.7 U/mg) and LiP-2 did this below pH 2.5 (33.8 U/mg). Also at normal physiological pHs for fungal growth (pH 5.0-6.5) both isozymes were still active. Further characterization of LiP-2 and LiP-5 revealed that the Km for H2O2 strongly decreased with increasing pH. As a result of this the catalytic efficiency (TN/Km) calculated on the basis of the Km for H2O2 in the oxidation of veratryl alcohol was constant over wide pH range.

Production and Purification of Remazol Brilliant Blue R Decolorizing Peroxidase from the Culture Filtrate of Pleurotus ostreatus

An extracellular H(inf2)O(inf2)-requiring Remazol brilliant blue R (RBBR) decolorizing enzymatic activity was found in the culture medium of Pleurotus ostreatus. The enzymatic activity was maximally obtained in idiophase, and the optimum C/N ratio was 24. High C/N ratios repressed the enzymatic activity, and addition of veratryl alcohol had no effect on the production of enzyme. The enzyme was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, Sephacryl S-200 HR chromatography, DEAE Sepharose CL-6B chromatography, and Mono Q chromatography. The purification of RBBR decolorizing peroxidase, as judged by the final specific activity of 6.00 U/mg, was 54.5-fold, with a yield of 9.9%. The molecular mass of the native enzyme determined by gel permeation chromatography was found to be about 73 kDa. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the enzyme was a monomer with a molecular mass of 71 kDa. The enzyme was optimally active at pH 3.0 to 3.5 and at 25(deg)C. Under standard assay conditions, the apparent K(infm) values of the enzyme toward RBBR and H(inf2)O(inf2) were 10.99 and 32.97 (mu)M, respectively. The enzyme had affinity toward various phenolic compounds and artificial dyes, and it was inhibited by Na(inf2)S(inf2)O(inf5), potassium cyanide, NaN(inf3), and cysteine. The absorption spectrum of the enzyme exhibited maxima at 407, 510, and 640 nm. The addition of H(inf2)O(inf2) to the enzyme resulted in an absorbance decrease at 407 and 510 nm.

Sugar oxidoreductases and veratryl alcohol oxidase as related to lignin degradation

Properties of cellobiose:quinone oxidoreductase (CBQ), cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH), glyoxal oxidase (GLOX), glucose oxidases and veratryl alcohol oxidase (VAO) are reviewed. There is strong evidence that CDH reduces quinones, phenoxy and cation radicals. Glucose oxidases (glucose 1-oxidase and pyranose 2-oxidase) and VAO have been less investigated but evidence for reduction of the above compounds is accumulating. Pyranose oxidase, glyoxal oxidase and VAO are very important for hydrogen peroxide production by white-rot fungi. CDH is only produced on cellulose or on wood, whereas pyranose oxidase and VAO are produced both on wood and on rich glucose media suggesting that the lignin degrading white-rot fungi may use different quinone and radical reducing enzymes to regulate lignin polymerization/depolymerization depending on the substrate and cultivation conditions. Intracellular quinone reductases are also produced. Whether brown-rot fungi in general produce CBQ/CDH or VAO is not clear. The Fe(III) reducing ability of both CDH and certain phenolate compounds agree with the rapid depolymerization of cellulose by brown-rot fungi. The interaction of Fe(III) reduction with the hydrogen peroxide producing system in white-rot and brown-rot fungi requires more investigation.

Mechanism and potential applications of bio-ligninolytic systems in a CELSS

A large amount of inedible plant material, generated as a result of plant growth in a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS), should be pretreated and converted into forms that can be recycled on earth as well as in space. The main portion of the inedible biomass is lignocellulosic material. Enzymatic hydrolysis of this cellulose would provide sugars for many other uses by recycling carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen through formation of carbon dioxide, heat, and sugars, which are potential foodstuffs. To obtain monosaccharides from cellulose, the protective effect of lignin should be removed. White-rot fungi degrade lignin more extensively and rapidly than other microorganisms. Pleurotus ostreatus degrades lignin effectively, and produces edible and flavorful mushrooms that increase the quality and nutritional value of the diet. This mushroom is also capable of metabolizing hemicellulose, thereby providing a food use of this pentose containing polysaccharide. This study presents the current knowledge of physiology and biochemistry of primary and secondary metabolisms of basidiomycetes, and degradation mechanism of lignin. A better understanding of the ligninolytic activity of white-rot fungi will impact the CELSS Program by providing insights on how edible fungi might be used to recycle the inedible portions of the crops.

Hydrogen Peroxide Production as a Limiting Factor in Xenobiotic Compound Oxidation by Nitrogen-Sufficient Cultures of Bjerkandera sp. Strain BOS55 Overproducing Peroxidases

The overproduction of ligninolytic peroxidase by the N-deregulated white rot fungus Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55 under nitrogen-sufficient conditions had no noteworthy effect on the oxidation of anthracene or the decolorization of the polymeric aromatic dye Poly R-478 in 6-day-old cultures. Only when the endogenous production of H(inf2)O(inf2) was increased by the addition of extra oxygen and glucose could a 2.5-fold increase in the anthracene oxidation rate and a 6-fold increase in the Poly R-478 decolorization rate be observed in high-N cultures with 10- to 35-fold higher peroxidase activities than N-limited cultures. Further increase of the H(inf2)O(inf2) generation rate in high-N cultures with glucose oxidase led to an additional 3.5-fold increase in the anthracene oxidation rate (350 mg liter(sup-1) day(sup-1)) and a 10-fold increase in the Poly R-478 decolorization rate. These results indicate that xenobiotic compound oxidation by white rot fungi cannot be improved by overproducing peroxidases without increasing the endogenous production of H(inf2)O(inf2). The absence of Mn, which decreased the manganese peroxidase titers and increased the lignin peroxidase titers, was associated with up to 95% improvements in the anthracene oxidation rate. The simultaneous presence of Mn and veratryl alcohol was observed to have a synergistic negative effect on the oxidation of anthracene and the decolorization of Poly R-478.

Involvement of an extracellular H2O2-dependent ligninolytic activity of the white rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus in the decolorization of Remazol brilliant blue R

During solid-state fermentation of wheat straw, a natural lignocellulosic substrate, the white rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus produced an extracellular H2O2-requiring Remazol brilliant blue R (RBBR)-decolorizing enzymatic activity along with manganese peroxidase, manganese-independent peroxidase, and phenol oxidase activities. The presence of RBBR was not essential for the production of RBBR-decolorizing enzymatic activity by P. ostreatus, because this activity was also produced in the absence of RBBR. This RBBR-decolorizing enzymatic activity in crude enzyme preparations of 14- and 20-day-old cultures exhibited an apparent Km for RBBR of 31 and 52 microM, respectively. The RBBR-decolorizing enzyme activity was maximal in the pH range 3.5 to 4.0. This activity was independent of manganese, and veratryl alcohol had no influence on it. Manganese peroxidase of P. ostreatus did not decolorize RBBR. This H2O2-dependent RBBR-decolorizing enzymatic activity behaved like an oxygenase possessing a catalytic metal center, perhaps heme, because it was inhibited by Na2S2O5, NaCN, NaN3, and depletion of dissolved oxygen. Na2S2O5 brought an early end to the reaction without interfering with the initial reaction rate of RBBR oxygenase. The activity was also inhibited by cysteine. Concentrations of H2O2 higher than 154 microM were observed to be inhibitory as well. Decolorization of RBBR by P. ostreatus is an oxidative process.

Manganese regulation of veratryl alcohol in white rot fungi and its indirect effect on lignin peroxidase

Many white rot fungi are able to produce de novo veratryl alcohol, which is known to be a cofactor involved in the degradation of lignin, lignin model compounds, and xenobiotic pollutants by lignin peroxidase (LiP). In this study, Mn nutrition was shown to strongly influence the endogenous veratryl alcohol levels in the culture fluids of N-deregulated and N-regulated white rot fungi Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55 and Phanerochaete chrysosporium BKM-F-1767, respectively. Endogenous veratryl alcohol levels as high as 0.75 mM in Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55 and 2.5 mM in P. chrysosporium were observed under Mn-deficient conditions. In contrast, veratryl alcohol production was dramatically decreased in cultures supplemented with 33 or 264 (mu)M Mn. The LiP titers, which were highest in Mn-deficient media, were shown to parallel the endogenous veratryl alcohol levels, indicating that these two parameters are related. When exogenous veratryl alcohol was added to Mn-sufficient media, high LiP titers were obtained. Consequently, we concluded that Mn does not regulate LiP expression directly. Instead, LiP titers are enhanced by the increased production of veratryl alcohol. The well-known role of veratryl alcohol in protecting LiP from inactivation by physiological levels of H(inf2)O(inf2) is postulated to be the major reason why LiP is apparently regulated by Mn. Provided that Mn was absent, LiP titers in Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55 increased with enhanced fungal growth obtained by increasing the nutrient N concentration while veratryl alcohol levels were similar in both N-limited and N-sufficient conditions.

Veratryl alcohol oxidase from Pleurotus ostreatus participates in lignin biodegradation and prevents polymerization of laccase-oxidized substrates

Oxidative enzymes (laccases and peroxidases) isolated from the culture media of different fungi are involved in the basic mechanism of ligninolysis via radical intermediates. However, experiments aimed at reproducing natural biodegradation in vitro have been unsuccessful so far since the single biocatalysts alone are not able to solubilize lignins because of the simultaneous recondensation of these intermediates. FAD oxidases can prevent this side reaction in lignin depolymerization by reducing quinonoids and radical compounds. This study investigates the possible role of a laccase and a FAD-dependent aryl alcohol oxidase (veratryl alcohol oxidase, VAO) excreted by the basidiomycete Pleurotus ostreatus. In fact, we found that VAO is able to reduce synthetic quinones, laccase-generated quinonoids, and phenoxy radicals with concomitant oxidation of veratryl alcohol to veratryl aldehyde. This cooperative action of laccase and VAO also prevented the polymerization of phenolic compounds and reduced the molecular weight of soluble lignosulfonates to a significant extent.