Abstract
Wood from aspen and birch that had been decayed for 12 weeks by Phlebia tremellosus had averages of 30 and 31% weight loss, respectively, and 70% lignin loss. Digestibility increased from averages of 21 and 13% for sound aspen and birch to 54 and 51% for decayed aspen and birch. Individual wood sugar analyses of decayed birch blocks indicated an average loss of 10% glucose, 45% xylose, and 19% mannose. Micromorphological studies demonstrated the removal of middle lamellae and separation of cells. Vessels also separated at perforation plates. Electron microscopy with OsO4-glutaraldehyde-fixed and KMnO4-fixed wood showed that lignin was progressively removed first from the secondary cell wall layers, beginning at the lumen surface, and later from the compound middle lamella. Extensive degradation of lignin was found throughout the secondary wall and middle lamella region between cells. In cells with advanced decay, the middle lamella between cells was completely degraded, but cell corner regions remained.
Full text
PDF
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Blanchette R. A. Screening wood decayed by white rot fungi for preferential lignin degradation. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1984 Sep;48(3):647–653. doi: 10.1128/aem.48.3.647-653.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Cox G., Juniper B. Electron microscopy of cellulose in entire tissue. J Microsc. 1973 Apr;97(3):343–355. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1973.tb03789.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Otjen L., Blanchette R. A. Selective delignification of aspen wood blocks in vitro by three white rot basidiomycetes. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 Sep;50(3):568–572. doi: 10.1128/aem.50.3.568-572.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Reid I. D. Biological Delignification of Aspen Wood by Solid-State Fermentation with the White-Rot Fungus Merulius tremellosus. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 Jul;50(1):133–139. doi: 10.1128/aem.50.1.133-139.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Spurr A. R. A low-viscosity epoxy resin embedding medium for electron microscopy. J Ultrastruct Res. 1969 Jan;26(1):31–43. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(69)90033-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]