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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1976 May; 31(5): 714-717
Copyright © 1976 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Microbial Degradation of Lignocellulose: the Lignin Component

^* Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Freshwater Biological Institute, University of Minnesota, College of Biological Sciences, Navarre, Minnesota 55392

ABSTRACT

A new procedure was developed for the study of lignin biodegradation by pure or mixed cultures of microorganisms. Natural lignocelluloses were prepared containing ¹⁴C in primarily their lignin components by feeding plants L-[U-¹⁴C]phenylalanine through their cut stems. Lignin degradation was observed in numerous soils by monitoring evolution of ¹⁴CO₂ from [¹⁴C]lignin-labeled oak (Quercus albus), maple (Acer rubrum), and cattail (Typha latifola). An organism (Thermonospora fusca ATCC 27730) that is known to degrade cellulose but not lignin was shown to grow on lignocellulose in the presence of [¹⁴C]lignocelluloses without evolution of ¹⁴CO₂. A known lignin degrader (a white-rot fungus, Polyporus versicolor) was shown to readily evolve ¹⁴CO₂ from damp ¹⁴C-labeled cattail and ¹⁴C-labeled maple.