title: Co-metabolic degradation of mono-fluorophenols by the ectomycorrhizal fungi Pisolithus tinctorius.
abstract: The release of fluorinated organic compounds from fire retardants or agrochemical products may have a significant negative effect on soil ecosystems. In this study, the ability of Pisolithus tinctorius to tolerate and degrade mono-fluorophenols (FP) was assessed. In vitro studies showed fungal growth in the presence of 0.45mM of 2-FP and 3-FP, but not in the presence of 4-FP. P. tinctorius was able to degrade up to 79% and 92% of 1mM 2-FP and 3-FP, respectively, in glucose supplemented liquid medium, suggesting that 2- and 3-FP degradation occurred in co-metabolism with glucose consumption. 3-Fluorocatechol (FC) and 4-FC were identified as metabolic intermediates using HPLC and LC-MS. Liberation of fluoride was not detected suggesting that a fluorinated dead-end product was formed. In extracts of cells collected at the end of cultures supplemented with the mono-FPs, a metabolic intermediate compatible with a mass corresponding to a fluoromuconate compound, according to LC-MS data, was recovered. The results further suggest that ectomycorrhizal fungi may be able to degrade mono-FP in pure culture while using glucose as a carbon source, through a similar pathway as that found in bacteria. To our knowledge, this is the first time that degradation of mono-FPs by an ectomycorrhizal fungus is reported.
authors.affiliation: CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa/Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Albina R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa/Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: António C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina - Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa/Porto, Rua Dr. António Bernardino Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: plcastro@porto.ucp.pt.
authors.forename: Paula M L
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Castro
mesh_terms: D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D010636:Phenols; C106880:4-fluorophenol; C487839:2-fluorophenol; D005947:Glucose; C085046:3-fluorophenol
keywords: Co-metabolism; Fluorocatechol; Mono-Fluorophenol; Pisolithus tinctorius