Destruction of fungal melanins by ligninases of Phanerochaete chrysosporium and other white rot fungi

Ligninases produced by white rot fungi degraded fungal and synthetic melani ns. Ligninases, thus, function as melaninases. Microscopic and chemical evi dence showed that this ligninase/melaninase activity was associated with ex tensive destruction of otherwise resistant melanized cells of the black yea st Phaeococcomyces sp. Each of three isolates of white rot fungi degraded m elanins. The ligninase enzyme manganese peroxidase was an efficient degrade r of melanins. Synthetic and natural fungal melanins were bleached by clone d manganese peroxidase expressed in a bacterium, indicating that this ligni nase alone is capable of melanin degradation. Our findings indicate that me lanin-degrading fungi could be a component of the biological control of som e plant pathogens that overwinter as propagules that are protected by melan in.