Studies on the decomposition of lignosulfonates by the fungi Pleurotus ostreatus and Trametes pubescens.

Abstract

The fungi Pleurotus ostreatus and Trametes pubescens were grown in a mineral medium containing 1% of glucose and 0.9% of lignosulfonates introduced into the culture medium in the form of yeast waste liquor. Chromatography of extracts of the medium and determinations of sulphur and lignosulfonates have revealed that the fungi studied utilized the constituents of the yeast waste liquor (lignosulfonates) as carbon source. This was manifested in an increase of dry mass of the mycelium and protein as compared with the control. The constituents of the yeast waste liquor were also found to have a stimulating effect on the formation of both exo-and endoenzymes, laccase and peroxidase. This may indicate that these oxidases take part in the decomposition of lignosulfonates.