Journal of Fungi

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Hirofumi Hirai

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka, Japan
Interests: white-rot fungi; lignin biodegradation; biorefibery; bioremediation; molecular breedings

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The development of biorefinery technology to produce biofuels and renewable chemicals is necessary for the prevention of global warming. Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant carbon-neutral source, and is considered attractive feedstocks for resources of second generation biorefinery. However, the presence of lignin in lignocellulose become an obstacle for the development of second generation biorefinery techniques.

In nature, lignin degradation by white-rot fungi is the key step in lignocellulose decay, and white-rot fungi are paid attention as biological ligninolytic tools. Moreover, white-rot fungi indicate several fermentable activities such as alcohol fermentation. Here, this special issue focuses “lignin biodegradation by white-rot fungi” to create renewable clean energy from lignocellulose.

Dr. Hirofumi Hirai
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

lignin degradation
white-rot fungi
ligninolytic enzymes
fermentation
pretreatment
bioremediation
genetic engineering

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 3374 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biodegradation of Benzo[a]pyrene by a White-Rot Fungus Phlebia acerina: Surfactant-Enhanced Degradation and Possible Genes Involved

by Wenquan Zhang, Qiaoyu Li, Jianqiao Wang, Ziyu Wang, Hongjie Zhan, Xiaolong Yu, Yan Zheng, Tangfu Xiao and Li-Wei Zhou

J. Fungi 2023, 9(10), 978; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9100978 - 28 Sep 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1030

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent environmental pollutants that pose a threat to human health. Among these PAHs, benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a five-ring compound, exhibits high resistance to biodegradation. White-rot fungus Phlebia acerina S-LWZ20190614-6 has demonstrated higher BaP degradation capabilities compared with Phanerochaete chrysosporium and P. sordida YK-624, achieving a degradation rate of 57.7% after 32 days of incubation under a ligninolytic condition. To further enhance the biodegradation rate, three nonionic surfactants were used, and the addition of 1 or 2 g·L⁻¹ of polyethylene glycol monododecyl ether (Brij 30) resulted in nearly complete BaP biodegradation by P. acerina S-LWZ20190614-6. Interestingly, Brij 30 did not significantly affect the activity of manganese peroxidase and lignin peroxidase, but it did decrease laccase activity. Furthermore, the impact of cytochrome P450 on BaP degradation by P. acerina S-LWZ20190614-6 was found to be relatively mild. Transcriptomic analysis provided insights into the degradation mechanism of BaP, revealing the involvement of genes related to energy production and the synthesis of active enzymes crucial for BaP degradation. The addition of Brij 30 significantly upregulated various transferase and binding protein genes in P. acerina S-LWZ20190614-6. Hence, the bioremediation potential of BaP by the white-rot fungus P. acerina S-LWZ20190614-6 holds promise and warrants further exploration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodegradation of Woody Components and Xenobiotics by Fungi)

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8 pages, 1010 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Ergosterol and Its Metabolites Induce Ligninolytic Activity in the Lignin-Degrading Fungus Phanerochaete sordida YK-624

by Jianqiao Wang, Ru Yin, Yuki Hashizume, Yasushi Todoroki, Toshio Mori, Hirokazu Kawagishi and Hirofumi Hirai

J. Fungi 2023, 9(9), 951; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9090951 - 20 Sep 2023

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Abstract

White-rot fungi are the most important group of lignin biodegraders. Phanerochaete sordida YK-624 has higher ligninolytic activity than that of model white-rot fungi. However, the underlying mechanism responsible for lignin degradation by white-rot fungi remains unknown, and the induced compounds isolated from white-rot fungi for lignin degradation have never been studied. In the present study, we tried to screen ligninolytic-inducing compounds produced by P. sordida YK-624. After large-scale incubation of P. sordida YK-624, the culture and mycelium were separated by filtration. After the separation and purification, purified compounds were analyzed by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. The sterilized unbleached hardwood kraft pulp was used for the initial evaluation of ligninolytic activity. Ergosterol was isolated and identified and it induced the lignin-degrading activity of this fungus. Moreover, we investigated ergosterol metabolites from P. sordida YK-624, and the ergosterol metabolites ergosta-4,7,22-triene-3,6-dione and ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one were identified and then chemically synthesized. These compounds significantly improved the lignin-degrading activity of the fungus. This is the first report on the ligninolytic-inducing compounds produced by white-rot fungi. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodegradation of Woody Components and Xenobiotics by Fungi)

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