Fungal Ligninolytic Enzymes and Their Application in Biomass Lignin Pretreatment

Lignocellulosic biomass is a significant source of sustainable fuel and high-value chemical production. However, due to the complex cross-linked three-dimensional network structure, lignin is highly rigid to degradation. In natural environments, the degradation is performed by wood-rotting fungi. The process is slow, and thus, the use of lignin degradation by fungi has not been regarded as a feasible technology in the industrial lignocellulose treatment. Fungi produce a wide variety of ligninolytic enzymes that can be directly introduced in industrial processing of lignocellulose. Within this study, screening of ligninolytic enzyme production using decolorization of ABTS and Azure B dyes was performed for 10 fungal strains with potentially high enzyme production abilities. In addition to standard screening methods, media containing lignin and hay biomass as carbon sources were used to determine the change in enzyme production depending on the substrate. All selected fungi demonstrated the ability to adapt to a carbon source limitation; however, four strains indicated the ability to secrete ligninolytic enzymes in all experimental conditions—Irpex lacteus, Pleurotus dryinus, Bjerkandera adusta, and Trametes versicolor—respectively displayed a 100%, 82.7%, 82.7%, and 55% oxidation of ABTS on lignin-containing media and 100%, 87.9%, 78%, and 70% oxidation of ABTS on hay-containing media after 168 h of incubation. As a result, the most potent strains of fungi were selected to produce lignocellulose-degrading enzymes and to demonstrate their potential application in biological lignocellulose pretreatment.