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Lignin-Degrading Enzyme Activities

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Biomass Conversion

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 908))

Abstract

Over the past three decades, the activities of four kinds of enzyme have been purported to furnish the mechanistic foundations for macromolecular lignin depolymerization in decaying plant cell walls. The pertinent fungal enzymes comprise lignin peroxidase (with a relatively high redox potential), manganese peroxidase, an alkyl aryl etherase, and laccase. The peroxidases and laccase, but not the etherase, are expressed extracellularly by white-rot fungi. A number of these microorganisms exhibit a marked preference toward lignin in their degradation of lignocellulose. Interestingly, some white-rot fungi secrete both kinds of peroxidase but no laccase, while others that are equally effective express extracellular laccase activity but no peroxidases. Actually, none of these enzymes has been reported to possess significant depolymerase activity toward macromolecular lignin substrates that are derived with little chemical modification from the native biopolymer. Here, the assays commonly employed for monitoring the traditional fungal peroxidases, alkyl aryl etherase, and laccase are described in their respective contexts. A soluble native polymeric substrate that can be isolated directly from a conventional milled-wood lignin preparation is characterized in relation to its utility in next-generation lignin-depolymerase assays.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge a subcontract from the BioEnergy Science Center, which is a US Department of Energy Bioenergy Research Center supported by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research in the DOE Office of Science.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA

    Yi-ru Chen, Simo Sarkanen & Yun-Yan Wang

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  1. Yi-ru Chen
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  2. Simo Sarkanen
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  3. Yun-Yan Wang
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Correspondence to Simo Sarkanen .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Biosciences Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Cole Boulevard 1617, Golden, 80401-3305, USA

    Michael E. Himmel

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Chen, Yr., Sarkanen, S., Wang, YY. (2012). Lignin-Degrading Enzyme Activities. In: Himmel, M. (eds) Biomass Conversion. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 908. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-956-3_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-956-3_21

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

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