Skip to main content
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1978 Sep;135(3):790–797. doi: 10.1128/jb.135.3.790-797.1978

Ligninolytic enzyme system of Phanaerochaete chrysosporium: synthesized in the absence of lignin in response to nitrogen starvation.

P Keyser, T K Kirk, J G Zeikus
PMCID: PMC222449  PMID: 690075

Abstract

The relationship between growth, nutrient nitrogen assimilation, and the appearance of ligninolytic activity was examined in stationary batch cultures of the wood-destroying hymenomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium Burds. grown under conditions optimized for lignin metabolism. A reproducible sequence of events followed inoculation: 0 to 24 h, germination, linear growth, and depletion of nutrient nitrogen; 24 to 48 h, cessation of linear growth and derepression of ammonium permease activity (demonstrating nitrogen starvation); 72 to 96 h, appearance of ligninolytic activity (synthetic 14C-lignin leads to 14CO2). Experiments with cycloheximide demonstrated that appearance of ligninolytic activity occurs irrespective of the presence of lignin; lignin did not induce additional activity. Addition of NH4+ to cultures immediately prior to the time of appearance of the ligninolytic system delayed its appearance, suggesting that the NH4+ led to interference with synthesis of the enzyme system. Addition of NH4+ to ligninolytic cultures resulted in an eventual, temporary decrease in ligninolytic activity. The results suggest that all or essential protein components of the ligninolytic enzyme system are synthesized as part of a series of physiological ("secondary metabolic") events that are initiated by nutrient nitrogen starvation.

Full text

PDF
790

Selected References

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

  1. Clark C., Schmidt E. L. Growth response of Nitrosomonas europaea to amino acids. J Bacteriol. 1967 Apr;93(4):1302–1308. doi: 10.1128/jb.93.4.1302-1308.1967. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Gold M. H., Mitzel D. L., Segel I. H. Regulation of nigeran accumulation by Aspergillus aculeatus. J Bacteriol. 1973 Feb;113(2):856–862. doi: 10.1128/jb.113.2.856-862.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Hackette S. L., Skye G. E., Burton C., Segel I. H. Characterization of an ammonium transport system in filamentous fungi with methylammonium-14C as the substrate. J Biol Chem. 1970 Sep 10;245(17):4241–4250. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Kirk T. K., Connors W. J., Bleam R. D., Hackett W. F., Zeikus J. G. Preparation and microbial decomposition of synthetic [14C]ligins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1975 Jul;72(7):2515–2519. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.7.2515. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Kirk T. K., Connors W. J., Zeikus J. G. Requirement for a growth substrate during lignin decomposition by two wood-rotting fungi. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1976 Jul;32(1):192–194. doi: 10.1128/aem.32.1.192-194.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Robbins J. E., Weber S. C. An enzymic assay for ammonia in waste matter. J Agric Food Chem. 1977 May-Jun;25(3):688–690. doi: 10.1021/jf60211a001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Ward A. C., Packter N. M. Relationship between fatty-acid and phenol synthesis in Aspergillus fumigatus. Eur J Biochem. 1974 Jul 15;46(2):323–333. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1974.tb03624.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES