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A peptide-mediated and hydroxyl radical HO.-involved oxidative degradation of cellulose by brown-rot fungi

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Abstract

A special low-molecular-weight peptide named Gt factor, was isolated and purified from the extracellular culture of brown-rot fungi Gloeophyllum trabeum via gel filtration chromatography and HPLC. It has been shown to reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy revealed Gt factor was able to drive H2O2 generation via a superoxide anion O2 .- intermediate and mediate the formation of hydroxyl radical HO. in the presence of O2. All the results indicated that Gt factor could oxidize the cellulose, disrupt the inter- and intrahydrogen bonds in cellulose chains by a HO. -involved mechanism. This resulted in depolymerization of the cellulose, which made it accessible for further enzymatic hydrolysis.

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Wang, W., Gao, P. A peptide-mediated and hydroxyl radical HO.-involved oxidative degradation of cellulose by brown-rot fungi. Biodegradation 13, 383–394 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022848414100

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