Isolation of microorganisms with lignin transformation potential from soil of Tenerife island

• Published in: Soil biology & biochemistry 1995, Vol.27 (2), p.121-126
• Main Authors: Falcón, M.A., Rodríguez, A., Carnicero, A., Regalado, V., Perestelo, F., Milstein, O., De la Fuente, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biochemistry and biology; Biological and medical sciences; Biology of microorganisms of confirmed or potential industrial interest; Biotechnology; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fusarium; Microbial ecology; Microbiology; Mission oriented research; Penicillium; Pestalotia; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Physiology and metabolism; Soil; Soil science
• ISSN: 0038-0717; 1879-3428
• DOI: 10.1016/0038-0717(94)00174-Y

A total of 44 fungi, 15 actinomycetes and 23 bacteria, isolated from ferrallitic and fersiallitic types of soil of Tenerife (Canary Islands) were capable of abundant growth on solid media supplemented with the polymeric fraction of industrial lignin as a single C source. Of 44 fungal strains grown on the media with lignin, 22 showed a positive Sundman's test and decolorization of polymeric dye Poly R-478. However, from the above 22 fungal strains, only Penicillium chrysogenum, Fusarium oxysporum, Pestalotia oxyanthi, Fusarium solani and a strain of basidiomycete fungus gave positive results for peroxidase, Bavendamm, Nobles, and laccase plate tests. Each of these 5 fungi metabolized hydroxylated and non-hydroxylated lignin-related phenylpropanoid acids, either as a single C source or in the presence of carbohydrate. These fungi were also capable of catabolizing lignin-model dehydrogenative polymerizate of coniferyl alcohol (DHP), 14CO 2 evolving both from 14C-labelled ring- and 14C-β-side-chain labelled-DHP. The maximum rate of 14CO 2 release by fungi imperfecti appeared to be during the initial stages of the metabolism of these fungi.