title: Discovery and characterization of new O-methyltransferase from the genome of the lignin-degrading fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium for enhanced lignin degradation.
abstract: Using bioinformatic homology search tools, this study utilized sequence phylogeny, gene organization and conserved motifs to identify members of the family of O-methyltransferases from lignin-degrading fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. The heterologous expression and characterization of O-methyltransferases from P. chrysosporium were studied. The expressed protein utilized S-(5'-adenosyl)-L-methionine p-toluenesulfonate salt (SAM) and methylated various free-hydroxyl phenolic compounds at both meta and para site. In the same motif, O-methyltransferases were also identified in other white-rot fungi including Bjerkandera adusta, Ceriporiopsis (Gelatoporia) subvermispora B, and Trametes versicolor. As free-hydroxyl phenolic compounds have been known as inhibitors for lignin peroxidase, the presence of O-methyltransferases in white-rot fungi suggested their biological functions in accelerating lignin degradation in white-rot basidiomycetes by converting those inhibitory groups into non-toxic methylated phenolic ones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, 447-1, Wolgye-Dong, Nowon-Gu, Seoul 139-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Le
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thanh Mai Pham
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, 447-1, Wolgye-Dong, Nowon-Gu, Seoul 139-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: metalkim@kw.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Yong Hwan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D055453:Coriolaceae / Q000201:enzymology; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D008031:Lignin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008745:Methylation; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D020075:Phanerochaete / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D010636:Phenols / Q000378:metabolism; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D010636:Phenols; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine; D008031:Lignin; D008780:Methyltransferases
keywords: Free-phenolic compounds; Lignin peroxidase; O-Methyltransferase; White-rot fungi