HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE-PRODUCING SYSTEM OF PLEUROTUS-ERYNGII INVOLVING THEEXTRACELLULAR ENZYME ARYL-ALCOHOL OXIDASE

The effect of benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde and benzoic acid on the pro duction of extracellular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by the ligninolytic fungus Pleurotus eryngii was investigated. It was found that an equili brium between oxidative and reductive reactions of these compounds is established, leading to the continuous production of H2O2. A multienzy matic cyclic system is proposed in which H2O2 is produced extracellula rly by the action of aryl-alcohol oxidase on benzyl alcohol, the most abundant compound after redox reactions, and to a lower extent on benz aldehyde. The oxidation products of these reactions, bezaldehyde and b enzoic acid, are reduced by intracellular dehydrogenases.