Polyethylene degradation by lignin-degrading fungi and malaganese peroxidase

Degradation of high-molecular-weight polyethylene membrane by lignin-degrad ing fungi, IZU-154, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, and Trametes versicolor, w as investigated under various nutritional conditions. IZU-154 showed the mo st significant polyethylene degradation among the three lignin-degrading fu ngi under nitrogen- or carbon-limited culture conditions. Furthermore, for T. versicolor and P. chrysosporium, the addition of Mn(II) into nitrogen- o r carbon-limited culture medium enhanced polyethylene degradation. These re sults suggest that polyethylene degradation is related to ligninolytic acti vity of lignin-degrading fungi. Treatment of polyethylene membrane with par tially purified manganese peroxidase (MnP) caused significant degradation i n the presence of Tween 80, Mn(II), and Mn(III) chelator. This result demon strates that MnP is the key enzyme in polyethylene degradation by lignin-de grading fungi.