From ¹³C-lignin to ¹³C-mycelium: <i>Agaricus bisporus</i> uses polymeric lignin as a carbon source.

ABSTRACT: Plant biomass conversion by saprotrophic fungi plays a pivotal role in terrestrial carbon (C) cycling. The general consensus is that fungi metabolize carbohydrates, while lignin is only degraded and mineralized to CO₂. Recent research, however, demonstrated fungal conversion of ¹³C-monoaromatic compounds into proteinogenic amino acids. To unambiguously prove that polymeric lignin is not merely degraded, but also metabolized, carefully isolated ¹³C-labeled lignin served as substrate for Agaricus bisporus, the world's most consumed mushroom. The fungus formed a dense mycelial network, secreted lignin-active enzymes, depolymerized, and removed lignin. With a lignin carbon use efficiency of 0.14 (g/g) and fungal biomass enrichment in ¹³C, we d

SUBMITTER: Duran K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11029805 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature