Biodegradation of crystal violet by the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium

• Published in: Applied and Environmental Microbiology 1988-05, Vol.54 (5), p.1143-1150
• Main Authors: Bumpus, J.A, Brock, B.J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Basidiomycota - enzymology; Basidiomycota - physiology; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; BOIS; Catalysis; CHAMPIGNON; COLORANT; COLORANTES; DEGRADATION; DETERIORO; Environment and pollution; Extracellular Space - microbiology; Extracellular Space - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; FUNGI; Gentian Violet - analysis; Growth, nutrition, metabolism, transports, enzymes. Molecular biology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Lignin - metabolism; MADERA; Mass Spectrometry; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Mycology; Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating - metabolism; Oxygenases - physiology; Peroxidases; Phanerochaete chrysosporium; Trityl Compounds - analysis
• ISSN: 0099-2240; 1098-5336
• DOI: 10.1128/aem.54.5.1143-1150.1988

Biodegration of crystal violet (N,N,N',N',N",N"-hexamethylpararosaniline) in ligninolytic (nitrogen-limited) cultures of the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium was demonstrated by the disappearance of crystal violet and by the identification of three metabolites (N,N,N',N',N" -pentamethylpararosaniline, N,N,N',N"-tetramethylpararosaniline, and N,N',N" -trimethylpararosaniline) formed by sequential N-demethylation of the parent compound. Metabolite formation also occurred when crystal violet was incubated with the extracellular fluid obtained from ligninolytic cultures of this fungus, provided that an H2O2-generating system was supplied. This, as well as the fact that a purified ligninase catalyzed N-demethylation of crystal violet, demonstrated that biodegradation of crystal violet by this fungus is dependent, at least in part, upon its lignin-degrading system. In addition to crystal violet, six other triphenylmethane dyes (pararosaniline, cresol red, bromphenol blue, ethyl violet, malachite green, and brilliant green) were shown to be degraded by the lignin-degrading system of this fungus. An unexpected result was the finding that substantial degradation of crystal violet also occurred in nonligninolytic (nitrogen-sufficient) cultures of P. chrysosporium, suggesting that in addition to the lignin-degrading system, another mechanism exists in this fungus which is also able to degrade crystal violet