title: Degradation of low rank coal by Trichoderma atroviride ES11.
abstract: A new isolate of Trichoderma atroviride has been shown to grow on low rank coal as the sole carbon source. T. atroviride ES11 degrades approximately 82% of particulate coal (10 g l(-1)) over a period of 21 days with 50% reduction in 6 days. Glucose (5 g l(-1)) as a supplemented carbon source enhanced the coal solubilisation efficiency of T. atroviride ES11, while 10 and 20 g l(-1) glucose decrease coal solubilisation efficiency. Addition of nitrogen [1 g l(-1) (NH(4))(2)SO(4)] to the medium also increased the coal solubilisation efficiency of T. atroviride ES11. Assay results from coal-free and coal-supplemented cultures suggested that several intracellular enzymes are possibly involved in coal depolymerisation processes some of which are constitutive (phenol hydroxylase) and others that were activated or induced in the presence of coal (2,3-dihydrobiphenyl-2,3-diol dehydrogenase, 3,4-dihydro phenanthrene-3,4-diol dehydrogenase, 1,2-dihydro-1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene dehydrogenase, 1,2-dihydro-1,2-dihydroxyanthracene dehydrogenase). GC-MS analysis of chloroform extracts obtained from coal degrading T. atroviride ES11 cultures showed the formation of only a limited number of specific compounds (4-hydroxyphenylethanol, 1,2-benzenediol, 2-octenoic acid), strongly suggesting that the intimate association between coal particles and fungal mycelia results in rapid and near-quantitative transfer of coal depolymerisation products into the cell.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Research Centre for Applied Microbiology, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535 Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: M Estela
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Silva-Stenico
authors.forename: Caryn J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Vengadajellum
authors.forename: Hussnain A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Janjua
authors.forename: Sue T L
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Stephanie G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.forename: Don A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Cowan
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D003031:Coal / Q000382:microbiology; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen; D014242:Trichoderma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003031:Coal; D003470:Culture Media; D002244:Carbon; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; C022336:phenol 2-monooxygenase; D009584:Nitrogen