Skip to main content
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1988 Dec;54(12):2885–2889. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.12.2885-2889.1988

Biodegradation of pentachlorophenol by the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

G J Mileski 1, J A Bumpus 1, M A Jurek 1, S D Aust 1
PMCID: PMC204399  PMID: 3223759

Abstract

Extensive biodegradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) by the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium was demonstrated by the disappearance and mineralization of [14C]PCP in nutrient nitrogen-limited culture. Mass balance analyses demonstrated the formation of water-soluble metabolites of [14C]PCP during degradation. Involvement of the lignin-degrading system of this fungus was suggested by the fact the time of onset, time course, and eventual decline in the rate of PCP mineralization were similar to those observed for [14C]lignin degradation. Also, a purified ligninase was shown to be able to catalyze the initial oxidation of PCP. Although biodegradation of PCP was decreased in nutrient nitrogen-sufficient (i.e., nonligninolytic) cultures of P. chrysosporium, substantial biodegradation of PCP did occur, suggesting that in addition to the lignin-degrading system, another degradation system may also be responsible for some of the PCP degradation observed. Toxicity studies showed that PCP concentrations above 4 mg/liter (15 microM) prevented growth when fungal cultures were initiated by inoculation with spores. The lethal effects of PCP could, however, be circumvented by allowing the fungus to establish a mycelial mat before adding PCP. With this procedure, the fungus was able to grow and mineralize [14C]PCP at concentrations as high as 500 mg/liter (1.9 mM).

Full text

PDF
2885

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bumpus J. A., Aust S. D. Biodegradation of DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane] by the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 Sep;53(9):2001–2008. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.9.2001-2008.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bumpus J. A., Brock B. J. Biodegradation of crystal violet by the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 May;54(5):1143–1150. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.5.1143-1150.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bumpus J. A., Tien M., Wright D., Aust S. D. Oxidation of persistent environmental pollutants by a white rot fungus. Science. 1985 Jun 21;228(4706):1434–1436. doi: 10.1126/science.3925550. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Haemmerli S. D., Leisola M. S., Sanglard D., Fiechter A. Oxidation of benzo(a)pyrene by extracellular ligninases of Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Veratryl alcohol and stability of ligninase. J Biol Chem. 1986 May 25;261(15):6900–6903. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hammel K. E., Kalyanaraman B., Kirk T. K. Oxidation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dibenzo[p]-dioxins by Phanerochaete chrysosporium ligninase. J Biol Chem. 1986 Dec 25;261(36):16948–16952. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Jeffries T. W., Choi S., Kirk T. K. Nutritional Regulation of Lignin Degradation by Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1981 Aug;42(2):290–296. doi: 10.1128/aem.42.2.290-296.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Jäger A., Croan S., Kirk T. K. Production of Ligninases and Degradation of Lignin in Agitated Submerged Cultures of Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 Nov;50(5):1274–1278. doi: 10.1128/aem.50.5.1274-1278.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Leisola M. S., Kozulic B., Meussdoerffer F., Fiechter A. Homology among multiple extracellular peroxidases from Phanerochaete chrysosporium. J Biol Chem. 1987 Jan 5;262(1):419–424. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Tien M., Kirk T. K. Lignin-Degrading Enzyme from the Hymenomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium Burds. Science. 1983 Aug 12;221(4611):661–663. doi: 10.1126/science.221.4611.661. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Tien M., Kirk T. K. Lignin-degrading enzyme from Phanerochaete chrysosporium: Purification, characterization, and catalytic properties of a unique H(2)O(2)-requiring oxygenase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 Apr;81(8):2280–2284. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.8.2280. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES