Biochemical characterization ofSerpula lacrymansiron-reductase enzymes in lignocellulose breakdown

Authors:
Open Access
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Putative iron-reductase (IR) genes from Serpula lacrymans with similarity to the conserved iron-binding domains of cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) enzymes have been identified. These genes were cloned and expressed to functionally characterize their activity and role in the decomposition of lignocellulose. The results show that IR1 and IR2 recombinant enzymes have the ability to depolymerize both lignin and cellulose, are capable of the reduction of ferric iron to the ferrous form, and are capable of the degradation of nitrated lignin. Expression of these genes during wheat straw solid-state fermentation was shown to correlate with the release of compounds associated with lignin decomposition. The results suggest that both IR enzymes mediate a non-enzymatic depolymerisation of lignocellulose and highlight the potential of chelator-mediated Fenton systems in the industrial pre-treatment of biomass.
Funding Information
  • Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (IMRC69)

This publication has 38 references indexed in Scilit: