Laccase and its role in production of extracellular reactive oxygen species during wood decay by the brown rot basidiomycete Postia placenta.

ABSTRACT: Brown rot basidiomycetes initiate wood decay by producing extracellular reactive oxygen species that depolymerize the structural polysaccharides of lignocellulose. Secreted fungal hydroquinones are considered one contributor because they have been shown to reduce Fe(3+), thus generating perhydroxyl radicals and Fe(2+), which subsequently react further to produce biodegradative hydroxyl radicals. However, many brown rot fungi also secrete high levels of oxalate, which chelates Fe(3+) tightly, making it unreactive with hydroquinones. For hydroquinone-driven hydroxyl radical production to contribute in this environment, an alternative mechanism to oxidize hydroquinones is required. We show here that aspen wood undergoing decay by the oxalate producer Postia placenta contained both 2,5-dimetho

SUBMITTER: Wei D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2849265 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature