Effect of manganese peroxidase on the decomposition of cellulosic components: Direct cellulolytic activity and synergistic effect with cellulase

Abstract

Herein, it was unearthed that manganese peroxidase (MnP) from Phanerochaete chrysosporium, a lignin-degrading enzyme, is capable of not only directly decomposing cellulosic components but also boosting cellulase activity. MnP decomposes various cellulosic substrates (carboxymethyl cellulose, cellobiose [CMC], and Avicel (R)) and produces reducing sugars rather than oxidized sugars such as lactone and ketoaldolase. MnP with MnII in acetate buffer evolves the MnIII-acetate complex functioning as a strong oxidant, and the non-specificity of MnIII-acetate enables cellulose-decomposition. The catalytic mechanism was proposed by analyzing catalytic products derived from MnP-treated cellopentaose. Notably, MnP also boosts cellulase activity on CMC and Avicel (R), even considering the cellulolytic activity of MnP itself. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating a previously unknown fungal MnP activity in cellulose-decomposition in addition to a known delignification activity. Consequently, the results provide a promising insight for further investigation of the versatility of lignin-degrading biocatalysts.