title: A fungal metabolite mediates degradation of non-phenolic lignin structures and synthetic lignin by laccase.
abstract: Lignin peroxidase is generally considered to be a primary catalyst for oxidative depolymerization of lignin by white-rot fungi. However, some white-rot fungi lack lignin peroxidase. Instead, many produce laccase, even though the redox potentials of known laccases are too low to directly oxidize the non-phenolic components of lignin. Pycnoporus cinnabarinus is one example of a laccase-producing fungus that degrades lignin very efficiently. To overcome the redox potential barrier, P. cinnabarinus produces a metabolite, 3-hydroxyanthranilate that can mediate the oxidation of how non-phenolic substrates by laccase. This is the first description of how laccase might function in a biological system for the complete depolymerization of lignin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens 30602-7229, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eggert
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Temp
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D001592:Benzyl Alcohols / Q000378:metabolism; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D007700:Kinetics; D042845:Laccase; D008031:Lignin / Q000378:metabolism*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010636:Phenols; D011124:Polyporaceae / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001592:Benzyl Alcohols; D010636:Phenols; D008031:Lignin; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D042845:Laccase; C042197:veratryl alcohol