The production of extracellular hydrogen peroxide by some brown-rot fungi

The role of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been discussed in the degradation of wood by wood-rotting fungi. The production of extracellular hydrogen peroxide was studied by detecting the oxidation of the chromogen 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) by H2O2 and horse radish peroxidase (HPR). ABTS and HPR were added to a solid wood based culture media. In this study two brown-rotters, Poria placenta and Serpula lacrymans, produced detectable extracellular hydrogen peroxide.