The degradation activities of brown rot fungi against wood, cellulose, and lignin-related compounds were measured in cultures containing glucose or wood as a carbon source. Also the activities of one-electron oxidation and hydroxyl radical production and the amount of oxalic acid present in the cultures were measured. The degradation activities of the fungi against wood, crystalline cellulose and the lignin model compounds were in direct proportion to the activities of one-electron oxidaton and hydroxyl radical production. The amount of oxalic acid win the cultures was inversely proportional to those activities and oxalic acid was almost not detectable in the cultures in which wood was actively degraded. On the basis of these results it is concluded that one-electron systems including hydroxyl radicals play important roles in the initial stage of wood decay by brown rot fungi and degrade oxalic acid produced by the fungi to trace amounts.

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