Relationship between degradation of wood and production of H2O2-producing or one-electron oxidases by brown-rot fungi

Summary The one-electron oxidation activity of brown-rot fungi was determined by measuring ethylene production from KTBA. Ethylene production was related to degradation of lignin, cellulose, and wood itself. Extracellular protein that catalyzed oxidation of KTBA was isolated from wood-containing cultures. This protein required H₂O₂ for KTBA oxidation. It was also found to oxidize NADH, producing H₂O₂ via in the presence of O₂. The protein showed little phenol-oxidase activity under conditions giving high activity against KTBA. The results indicate that partially reduced oxygen may play a role in the initial degradation of the cellulose and lignin in wood in cultures of brown-rot fungi.