Solubilization of low-rank coal by Trichoderma atroviride: Evidence for the involvement of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes by using 14C-labelled lignite

The deuteromycete Trichoderma atroviride is able to solubilize lignite in dependence on a given carbon source for growth. When cultivated on media containing glutamate, this mold excreted a set of different enzymes with hydrolytic activity. Addition of lignite to the growth media induced the synthes...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of industrial microbiology & biotechnology 2002-04, Vol.28 (4), p.207-212
Main Authors: HÖLKER, U, SCHMIERS, H, GROSSE, S, WINKELHÖFER, M, POLSAKIEWICZ, M, LUDWIG, S, DOHSE, J, HÖFER, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acids
Biological and medical sciences
Biology of microorganisms of confirmed or potential industrial interest
Biotechnology
Carbon
Carbon Radioisotopes
Carbon sources
Cellular biology
Coal
Coal - microbiology
Enzymes
Esterases - metabolism
Esters
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Fungi
Growth media
Investigations
Iodides
Laccase
Lignin
Lignite
Microbiology
Microorganisms
Mission oriented research
Oxidoreductases - metabolism
Phenols
Physiology and metabolism
Radioactivity
Solubility
Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
Studies
Trichoderma - enzymology
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Summary:The deuteromycete Trichoderma atroviride is able to solubilize lignite in dependence on a given carbon source for growth. When cultivated on media containing glutamate, this mold excreted a set of different enzymes with hydrolytic activity. Addition of lignite to the growth media induced the synthesis of extracellular lignite-specific esterase activity but no evidence has been provided for its direct involvement in the process of lignite solubilization. Hence, the basic capability of T. atroviride enzymes to degrade a variety of ester and ether bonds at the surface or within the bulky lignite structure was tested using coal following its direct labelling with 14C-alkyl iodide. The participation of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes in lignite degradation was assessed by measuring the release of 14C radioactivity from selectively alkylated carboxylic and phenolic OH groups. T. atroviride cleaved both carboxylic esters using esterases and the phenolic ether bonds by using oxidative enzymes, most likely laccases.
ISSN:1367-5435
1476-5535
DOI:10.1038/sj/jim/7000232