Biochemistry of the Ligninolytic Systems of Selected Fungi

这一发展中国家科学奖将支持威斯康星大学的T·肯特·柯克和智利卡托利卡大学的拉斐尔·维库纳的研究合作。该项目旨在将真菌研究引入智利调查人员的实验室，并通过该项目对来自智利和美国的不寻常的木质素降解真菌的木质素降解酶系统进行表征。这位智利科学家将学习丝状真菌的生理、生化和遗传学研究技术。他将成为智利第一个拥有高等丝状真菌分子遗传学专业知识的实验室，也是为数不多的以任何身份研究这些真菌的实验室之一。将研究一种美国和两种智利菌株的木质素降解真菌。他们产生的酶将被鉴定和表征。将确定最佳产酶条件和有效的木质素矿化条件。研究人员过去的合作表明，细菌对聚合木质素只起到很小的作用。因此，这位智利研究人员现在的目标是专注于真菌。木质素分解菌在智利和美国具有很大的实际应用潜力，特别是在造纸工业中。美国和智利双方都将从他们的研究产生的基本信息中受益。

This Science in Developing Countries award will support the research collaboration of T. Kent Kirk of the University of Wisconsin and Rafael Vicuna of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. The project aims to introduce fungal research into the Chilean investigator's laboratory, and to characterize the lignin-degrading enzyme system of unusual lignin- degrading fungi from Chile and the U.S. Through this project, the Chilean scientist will learn techniques for physiological, biochemical, and genetic studies with filamentous fungi. His will become the first laboratory in Chile with expertise in the molecular genetics of higher filamentous fungi, and one of the few working with these fungi in any capacity. One U.S. and two Chilean strains of lignin- degrading fungi will be studied. Enzymes they produce will be identified and characterized. Conditions for optimal enzyme production and efficient lignin mineralization will be determined. The investigators' past collaboration has shown that bacteria exert only minor action on polymeric lignin. Thus, the Chilean researcher now aims to focus on fungi. The ligninolytic fungi have substantial potential for practical applications in Chile and U.S., particularly for the paper pulping industry. Both the U.S. and Chilean sides will benefit from the basic information generated by their research.