Isolation of microorganisms with lignin transformation potential from soil of Tenerife island

A total of 44 fungi, 15 actinomycetes and 23 bacteria, isolated from ferrallitic and fersiallitic types of soil of Tenerife (Canary Islands) were capable of abundant growth on solid media supplemented with the polymeric fraction of industrial lignin as a single C source. Of 44 fungal strains grown on the media with lignin, 22 showed a positive Sundmanʹs test and decolorization of polymeric dye Poly R-478. However, from the above 22 fungal strains, only Penicillium chrysogenum, Fusarium oxysporum, Pestalotia oxyanthi, Fusarium solani and a strain of basidiomycete fungus gave positive results for peroxidase, Bavendamm, Nobles, and laccase plate tests. Each of these 5 fungi metabolized hydroxylated and non-hydroxylated lignin-related phenylpropanoid acids, either as a single C source or in the presence of carbohydrate. These fungi were also capable of catabolizing lignin-model dehydrogenative polymerizate of coniferyl alcohol (DHP), 14CO2 evolving both from 14C-labelled ring- and 14C-β-side-chain labelled-DHP. The maximum rate of 14CO2 release by fungi imperfecti appeared to be during the initial stages of the metabolism of these fungi.