Evaluation on Relations between the Oxalic Acid Producing Enzyme, Oxaloacetase from Tyromyces palustris, and Wood Decaying Activity

Tyromyces palustris의 수산생성효소인 Oxaloacetase와 목질 분해와의 관계 구명

Brown rot fungus, Tyromyces palustris, has been reported to cause the loss of strength accelerated by oxalate, a non-enzymatic low molecular weight acid, with minute weight loss of decaying wood in early stage. The production of oxalate in relation to wood decaying and the presence of oxaloacetase. an oxalate producing enzyme, were identified during the process. Tyromyces palustris produced the largest amount of oxalate among brown rot fungi. In order to find out the cleavage of pulp fiber, we submerged pulp fiber in oxalate solution and the results showed that the number of short pulp fiber was highly increased, compared with control solution. The pH of decaying wood was decreased to 1.77 which was close to that of saturated oxalate solution, pH 1.2, Thus, the oxalate was thought to be accumulated in the decaying wood, The oxaloacetase which accelerates production of oxalate was derived from fungus, and the production of oxalate by the enzyme was determined by using on UV/Vis spectrophotometer. Therefore, the oxalate was found to be produced by oxaloacetase during decay. The oxalate may cause the acid-hydrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose. The oxalate was thought to reduce the degree of polymerization and increase the enzyme activity, which resulted in rapid loss of strength in early stage-an identical feature of brown rot fungus.