Ligninolytic Enzyme System in Ecological Adaptation of Lignicolous Macrofungi

Abstract

Abstract. Lignicolous macrofungi are the most important group of wood decomposers. Among the enzymes involved in wood decomposition, ligninases play an important role in this process and species that produce those enzymes degrade both cellulose and lignin. In this study we hypothesized that ligninases are influencing the ecological success of lignicolous macrofungi. Three hypotheses have been tested: h1 -the species producing several types of ligninases have a broader spectrum of hosts / substrates; h2 -the obligate saprotrophic species have a greater potential in degrading lignin and related compounds than the other groups; and h3 -the frequencies of lignicolous species is related to the production of highly active enzymes. Scientific data compiled from literature and completed with our own experimental results have been statistically interpreted using XLStat and MaxLite Software. Our results confirm the first two hypotheses, proving that ligninases play a direct role in colonizing a wide range of wood types, with chemical particularities. The third hypothesis should be rejected as no correlation has been observed. The present study offers new insights into ecological meanings of ligninases, and is the first attempt to connect the ligninolytic enzyme system to host range.

Nuevo récord de Trametes hirsuta (Wulfen) Lloyd (Basidiomycota) en Refugio de Vida Silvestre Laguna Mallén, San Pedro de Macorís-República Dominicana

“…Los usos etnobotánicos y su eficaz capacidad para descomponer lignina hacen que la especie juegue un papel importante en la naturaleza, sobre todo en el ciclo natural de los ecosistemas (Chen et al, 2021). La especie puede atacar árboles vivos y permanecer en ellos tras la muerte del árbol, contribuyendo a la descomposición de la madera en su primera etapa (Balaes et al, 2017;Glazunova et al, 2018).…”