Use of Molecular-genetically BredCoprinus cinereusStrains for an Efficient Isolation of Cellulose from Rice Straw

Abstract

Molecular-bred Coprinus cinereus monokaryotic strains with high lignin- and xylan-degrading activities were mixed-cultured at 27 degrees C in the liquid medium containing 0.5% (w/v) cut rice straw and 0.025% MnCl2. After 3 weeks, the culture supernatant was extensively treated with crude cellulase, showing the presence in it of 9.3% of the total cellulose of rice straw. When rice straw treated with 0.1 N NaOH or cultured with Ganoderma applanatum were used, the recoveries of the cellulose increased up to 29%. The same experiments were done by using a non-bred control strain, showing the recoveries of the cellulose from the treated or cultured rice straw to be 8%.

Identification of genes encoding microbial glucuronoyl esterases

“…The homologous recombinant H. jecorina Cip2 has been unambiguously shown to exhibit glucuronoyl esterase activity and serves as the first experimental proof for identity of the gene product as the new carbohydrate esterase. The presence of the gene in genomes of other fungi proliferating on plant cell walls, such as P. chrysosporium , C. globosum , and C. cinereus [28–30], implements involvement of glucuronoyl esterases in the process of microbial plant biomass degradation. However, only the analysis of released products from cell wall materials by the glucuronoyl esterases alone and in combination with carbohydrate hydrolases and lignin‐degrading enzymes may establish specific functions for the new type of enzymes.…”

Isolation of a ras gene from the basidiomycete Coriolus hirsutus and use of its promoter for the expression of Pleurotus ostreatus manganese(II) peroxidase cDNA in C. hirsutus

“…By using pLC1, we have introduced the Pleurotus ostreatus MnP cDNA (designated mnpc) into protoplasts of rapidly growing Coprinus cinereus, producing strains with remarkably high lignin-decolorization and -degradation activities (Ogawa et al 1998). These produced C. cinereus strains grew well on solid media containing rice straw and fallen leaves, but grew only slightly on those containing sawdust of beech wood (Kikuchi et al 2002). Coriolus hirsutus, on the other hand, grow well on the sawdust-based media.…”