Devido à sua importante atividade celulolítica, o fungo Trichoderma harzianum possui um grande potencial de aplicação na hidrólise da biomassa. No entanto, as celulases deste fungo filamentoso ainda não foram caracterizadas em profundidade. A celobiohidrolase I (CBHI) é a principal enzima celulolítica produzida por Trichoderma sp. e atualmente é uma das celulases mais investigadas para aplicações de biocombustíveis. A CBHI hidrolisa celulose cristalina à unidades solúveis de celobiose, o que a torna uma enzima chave para a produção de açúcares fermentáveis a partir da biomassa. O objetivo deste trabalho foi purificar e caracterizar a CBHI de Trichoderma harzianum (ThCBHI) bioquímica, biofísica e estruturalmente. Primeiramente foi estabelecido um protocolo de purificação eficiente da proteína a partir da expressão homóloga no fungo. A caracterização bioquímica ThCBHI mostrou que a proteína possui uma massa molecular de 66 kDa, pI de 5,23 e o pH e a temperatura de atividade ótima foram 5,0 e 50 ºC, respectivamente. A influência do pH e temperatura sobre as estruturas secundárias e terciárias e atividade enzimática da ThCBHI foram analisados por espectroscopia de CD, fluorescência e SAXS, e os resultados mostraram que as perturbações de pH e de temperatura afetam a estabilidade por dois mecanismos diferentes. As variações de pH podem modificar a protonação dos resíduos, afetando diretamente sua atividade, levando a desestabilização estrutural apenas em limites extremos de pH, como pH 9,0. A temperatura, por outro lado, tem uma influência direta sobre enovelamento e compactação da enzima, fazendo com que na temperatura em torno de 60 ºC ocorra perda da estrutura secundária, e terciária. Quando as análises foram realizadas na presença do produto de reação e também inibidor competitivo, celobiose, a estabilidade térmica da ThCBHI aumentou significativamente de 61,5 para 65,9 ºC. Os estudos estruturais e simulações de dinâmica molecular mostraram que a flexibilidade do resíduo Tyr260, em comparação com a Tyr247 do homólogo de T. reesei CBHI (TrCBHI), é aumentada devido às cadeias laterais curtas adjacentes de Val216 e Ala384 criando uma abertura adicional na face lateral do túnel catalítico. A ThCBHI também apresenta um loop encurtado na entrada do túnel de interação com a celulose, o que tem sido descrito como o responsável por interagir com o substrato de TrCBHI. Estas características estruturais podem explicar por que a ThCBHI apresenta maior valor de kcat e menor inibição pelo produto em comparação com TrCBHI. / Trichoderma harzianum is a fungus that has a considerable potential in biomass hydrolysis application due to its elevated cellulolytic activity. Cellulases from Trichoderma reesei have been widely used as model in studies of cellulose breakdown. However, cellulases from Trichoderma harzianum are less-studied enzymes which have not been characterized biophysically and biochemically as yet. CBHI, a cellobiohydrolase I, is the major cellulolytic enzyme produced by Trichoderma sp. and is currently one of the most investigated cellulases for biofuel applications. CBHI hydrolyzes crystalline cellulose to soluble cellobiose units, which turns it into a key enzyme for producing fermentable sugars from biomass. The aim of this work was to purify and characterize the CBHI of Trichoderma harzianum (ThCBHI). We established an efficient purification protocol of ThCBHI, from the homologous expression. The biochemical characterization of ThCBHI showed that the protein has a molecular mass of 66 kDa, a pI of 5,23, and the optimum pH and temperature for its activity are 5,0 and 50 ºC, respectively. The effect of pH and temperature on secondary and tertiary structure and enzymatic activity of ThCBHI were analyzed by CD and Fluorescence spectroscopy and showed that they affect protein stability by two distinct mechanisms. Variations of pH modify protonation of the residues, affecting directly its activity, leading to structural destabilization only at extreme pH values, such as pH 9, 0. On the other hand, temperature has direct influence on mobility, fold and compactness of the folding enzyme, at temperatures above 60 ºC, there is loss of secondary and tertiary structure. When the assays were conducted in the presence of the cellobiose, a competitive inhibitor, thermal stability of ThCBHI was significantly increased to 61,5 to 65,9 ºC. Structural studies and molecular dynamics simulations showed that the flexibility of Tyr260, in comparison to the Tyr247 from the homologous T. reesei CBHI, is enhanced due to the short side chains of adjacent Val216 and Ala384 residues and creates an additional gap at the side face of the catalytic tunnel. In addition, CBHI of T. harzianum has a shortened loop at the entrance of the cellulose-binding tunnel, which has been described to interact with the substrate in T. reesei CBHI. These structural features might explain why T. harzianum enzyme displays higher kcat value and lower product inhibition on both glucosides and lactosides substrates in comparison to T. reesei CBHI.

Devido à sua importante atividade celulolítica, o fungo Trichoderma harzianum possui um grande potencial de aplicação na hidrólise da biomassa. No entanto, as celulases deste fungo filamentoso ainda não foram caracterizadas em profundidade. A celobiohidrolase I (CBHI) é a principal enzima celulolítica produzida por Trichoderma sp. e atualmente é uma das celulases mais investigadas para aplicações de biocombustíveis. A CBHI hidrolisa celulose cristalina à unidades solúveis de celobiose, o que a torna uma enzima chave para a produção de açúcares fermentáveis a partir da biomassa. O objetivo deste trabalho foi purificar e caracterizar a CBHI de Trichoderma harzianum (ThCBHI) bioquímica, biofísica e estruturalmente. Primeiramente foi estabelecido um protocolo de purificação eficiente da proteína a partir da expressão homóloga no fungo. A caracterização bioquímica ThCBHI mostrou que a proteína possui uma massa molecular de 66 kDa, pI de 5,23 e o pH e a temperatura de atividade ótima foram 5,0 e 50 ºC, respectivamente. A influência do pH e temperatura sobre as estruturas secundárias e terciárias e atividade enzimática da ThCBHI foram analisados por espectroscopia de CD, fluorescência e SAXS, e os resultados mostraram que as perturbações de pH e de temperatura afetam a estabilidade por dois mecanismos diferentes. As variações de pH podem modificar a protonação dos resíduos, afetando diretamente sua atividade, levando a desestabilização estrutural apenas em limites extremos de pH, como pH 9,0. A temperatura, por outro lado, tem uma influência direta sobre enovelamento e compactação da enzima, fazendo com que na temperatura em torno de 60 ºC ocorra perda da estrutura secundária, e terciária. Quando as análises foram realizadas na presença do produto de reação e também inibidor competitivo, celobiose, a estabilidade térmica da ThCBHI aumentou significativamente de 61,5 para 65,9 ºC. Os estudos estruturais e simulações de dinâmica molecular mostraram que a flexibilidade do resíduo Tyr260, em comparação com a Tyr247 do homólogo de T. reesei CBHI (TrCBHI), é aumentada devido às cadeias laterais curtas adjacentes de Val216 e Ala384 criando uma abertura adicional na face lateral do túnel catalítico. A ThCBHI também apresenta um loop encurtado na entrada do túnel de interação com a celulose, o que tem sido descrito como o responsável por interagir com o substrato de TrCBHI. Estas características estruturais podem explicar por que a ThCBHI apresenta maior valor de kcat e menor inibição pelo produto em comparação com TrCBHI. / Trichoderma harzianum is a fungus that has a considerable potential in biomass hydrolysis application due to its elevated cellulolytic activity. Cellulases from Trichoderma reesei have been widely used as model in studies of cellulose breakdown. However, cellulases from Trichoderma harzianum are less-studied enzymes which have not been characterized biophysically and biochemically as yet. CBHI, a cellobiohydrolase I, is the major cellulolytic enzyme produced by Trichoderma sp. and is currently one of the most investigated cellulases for biofuel applications. CBHI hydrolyzes crystalline cellulose to soluble cellobiose units, which turns it into a key enzyme for producing fermentable sugars from biomass. The aim of this work was to purify and characterize the CBHI of Trichoderma harzianum (ThCBHI). We established an efficient purification protocol of ThCBHI, from the homologous expression. The biochemical characterization of ThCBHI showed that the protein has a molecular mass of 66 kDa, a pI of 5,23, and the optimum pH and temperature for its activity are 5,0 and 50 ºC, respectively. The effect of pH and temperature on secondary and tertiary structure and enzymatic activity of ThCBHI were analyzed by CD and Fluorescence spectroscopy and showed that they affect protein stability by two distinct mechanisms. Variations of pH modify protonation of the residues, affecting directly its activity, leading to structural destabilization only at extreme pH values, such as pH 9, 0. On the other hand, temperature has direct influence on mobility, fold and compactness of the folding enzyme, at temperatures above 60 ºC, there is loss of secondary and tertiary structure. When the assays were conducted in the presence of the cellobiose, a competitive inhibitor, thermal stability of ThCBHI was significantly increased to 61,5 to 65,9 ºC. Structural studies and molecular dynamics simulations showed that the flexibility of Tyr260, in comparison to the Tyr247 from the homologous T. reesei CBHI, is enhanced due to the short side chains of adjacent Val216 and Ala384 residues and creates an additional gap at the side face of the catalytic tunnel. In addition, CBHI of T. harzianum has a shortened loop at the entrance of the cellulose-binding tunnel, which has been described to interact with the substrate in T. reesei CBHI. These structural features might explain why T. harzianum enzyme displays higher kcat value and lower product inhibition on both glucosides and lactosides substrates in comparison to T. reesei CBHI.

<p>The hydrolysis kinetics of bacterial cellulose and its derivatives by <i>Trichoderma reesei</i> cellulases was studied. The cellulose surface erosion model was introduced to explain the gradual and strong retardation of the rate of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. This model identifies the decrease in apparent processivity of cellobiohydrolases during the hydrolysis as a major contributor to the decreased rates. Both enzyme-related (non-productive binding) and substrate-related (erosion of cellulose surface) processes contribute to the decrease in apparent processivity. Furthermore, the surface erosion model allows, in addition to conventional endo-exo synergism, the possibility for different modes of synergistic action between cellulases. The second mode of synergism operates in parallel with the conventional one and was found to be predominant in the hydrolysis of more crystalline celluloses and also in the synergistic action of two cellobiohydrolases. </p><p>A mechanism of substrate inhibition in synergistic hydrolysis of bacterial cellulose was proposed whereby the inhibition is a result of surface dilution of reaction components (bound cellobiohydrolase and cellulose chain ends) at lower enzyme-to-substrate ratios. </p><p>The inhibition of cellulases by the hydrolysis product, cellobiose, was found to be strongly dependent on the nature of the substrate. The hydrolysis of a low molecular weight model substrate, such as para-nitrophenyl cellobioside, by cellobiohydrolase I is strongly inhibited by cellobiose with a competitive inhibition constant around 20 μM, whereas the hydrolysis of cellulose is more resistant to inhibition with an apparent inhibition constant around 1.5 mM for cellobiose.</p>

<p>Statistical experimental designs have been used for method development and optimisation of separation. Two reversed phase HPLC methods were optimised. Parameters such as the pH, the amount of tetrabutylammonium (TBA; co-ion) and the gradient slope (acetonitrile) were investigated and optimised for separation of erythromycin A and eight related compounds. In the second method, a statistical experimental design was used, where the amounts of acetonitrile and octane sulphonate (OSA; counter ion) and the buffer concentration were studied, and generation of an α-plot with chromatogram simulations optimised the separation of six analytes.</p><p>The partial filling technique was used in capillary electrophoresis to introduce the chiral selector Cel7A. The effect of the pH, the ionic strength and the amount of acetonitrile on the separation and the peak shape of R- and S-propranolol were investigated.</p><p>Microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) is a technique similar to micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), except that the microemulsion has a core of tiny droplets of oil inside the micelles. A large number of factors can be varied when using this technique. A screening design using the amounts of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), Brij 35, 1-butanol and 2-propanol, the buffer concentration and the temperature as factors revealed that the amounts of SDS and 2-propanol were the most important factors for migration time and selectivity manipulation of eight different compounds varying in charge and hydrophobicity. SDS and 2-propanol in the MEEKC method were further investigated in a three-level full factorial design analysing 29 different compounds sorted into five different groups. Different optimisation strategies were evaluated such as generating response surface plots of the selectivity/resolution of the most critical pair of peaks, employing chromatographic functions, simplex optimisation in MODDE and 3D resolution maps in DryLab™.</p><p>Molecular descriptors were fitted in a PLS model to retention data from the three-level full factorial design of the MEEKC system. Two different test sets were used to study the predictive ability of the training set. It was concluded that 86 – 89% of the retention data could be predicted correctly for new molecules (80 – 120% of the experimental values) with different settings of SDS and 2-propanol.</p><p>Statistical experimental designs and chemometrics are valuable tools for the development and optimisation of analytical methods. The same chemometric strategies can be employed for all types of separation techniques.</p>

The hydrolysis kinetics of bacterial cellulose and its derivatives by Trichoderma reesei cellulases was studied. The cellulose surface erosion model was introduced to explain the gradual and strong retardation of the rate of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. This model identifies the decrease in apparent processivity of cellobiohydrolases during the hydrolysis as a major contributor to the decreased rates. Both enzyme-related (non-productive binding) and substrate-related (erosion of cellulose surface) processes contribute to the decrease in apparent processivity. Furthermore, the surface erosion model allows, in addition to conventional endo-exo synergism, the possibility for different modes of synergistic action between cellulases. The second mode of synergism operates in parallel with the conventional one and was found to be predominant in the hydrolysis of more crystalline celluloses and also in the synergistic action of two cellobiohydrolases. A mechanism of substrate inhibition in synergistic hydrolysis of bacterial cellulose was proposed whereby the inhibition is a result of surface dilution of reaction components (bound cellobiohydrolase and cellulose chain ends) at lower enzyme-to-substrate ratios. The inhibition of cellulases by the hydrolysis product, cellobiose, was found to be strongly dependent on the nature of the substrate. The hydrolysis of a low molecular weight model substrate, such as para-nitrophenyl cellobioside, by cellobiohydrolase I is strongly inhibited by cellobiose with a competitive inhibition constant around 20 μM, whereas the hydrolysis of cellulose is more resistant to inhibition with an apparent inhibition constant around 1.5 mM for cellobiose.

Statistical experimental designs have been used for method development and optimisation of separation. Two reversed phase HPLC methods were optimised. Parameters such as the pH, the amount of tetrabutylammonium (TBA; co-ion) and the gradient slope (acetonitrile) were investigated and optimised for separation of erythromycin A and eight related compounds. In the second method, a statistical experimental design was used, where the amounts of acetonitrile and octane sulphonate (OSA; counter ion) and the buffer concentration were studied, and generation of an α-plot with chromatogram simulations optimised the separation of six analytes. The partial filling technique was used in capillary electrophoresis to introduce the chiral selector Cel7A. The effect of the pH, the ionic strength and the amount of acetonitrile on the separation and the peak shape of R- and S-propranolol were investigated. Microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) is a technique similar to micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), except that the microemulsion has a core of tiny droplets of oil inside the micelles. A large number of factors can be varied when using this technique. A screening design using the amounts of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), Brij 35, 1-butanol and 2-propanol, the buffer concentration and the temperature as factors revealed that the amounts of SDS and 2-propanol were the most important factors for migration time and selectivity manipulation of eight different compounds varying in charge and hydrophobicity. SDS and 2-propanol in the MEEKC method were further investigated in a three-level full factorial design analysing 29 different compounds sorted into five different groups. Different optimisation strategies were evaluated such as generating response surface plots of the selectivity/resolution of the most critical pair of peaks, employing chromatographic functions, simplex optimisation in MODDE and 3D resolution maps in DryLab™. Molecular descriptors were fitted in a PLS model to retention data from the three-level full factorial design of the MEEKC system. Two different test sets were used to study the predictive ability of the training set. It was concluded that 86 – 89% of the retention data could be predicted correctly for new molecules (80 – 120% of the experimental values) with different settings of SDS and 2-propanol. Statistical experimental designs and chemometrics are valuable tools for the development and optimisation of analytical methods. The same chemometric strategies can be employed for all types of separation techniques.

Movimentos coletivos prestam um papel fundamental na dinâmica e energética de biomoléculas em solução. Estes movimentos permitem o acoplamento de regiões significativamente distantes, apresentando considerável influência, por exemplo, no alosterismo para a formação de complexos macromoleculares e no funcionamento integrado de proteínas multidomínios como \"máquinas moleculares\". Neste trabalho de doutoramento, serão apresentados os resultados referentes à aplicação conjunta de técnicas experimentais biofísicas, de modelagem estrutural e de dinâmica molecular no estudo de dois sistemas para os quais estes movimentos coletivos demonstram considerável importância funcional. Para a interação do receptor nuclear do ácido 9-cis-retinóico com seu elemento responsivo específico no DNA (HRE), a comparação de estudos de dinâmica molecular com ensaios de afinidade por anisotropia de fluorescência sugere que a resistência inicial para a associação do monômero, seguida da acentuada colaboratividade na associação do dímero é regida por um impedimento da associação do domínio de ligação ao DNA (DBD) para o primeiro à sequência responsiva devido, em última análise, a uma não complementaridade dos modos coletivos mútuos. Este impedimento para a associação monomérica inicial é mais acentuado para o monômero 5\' (para o qual a menor especificidade de ligação à seqüência específica já é bem documentada), devido aos efeitos conjuntos de um \"defeito\" natural no empacotamento de bases da seqüência responsiva, que se manifesta mais significativamente na interface entre o meio-sítio 5\' e a seqüência espaçadora, e dos modos vibracionais entre os dois sítios decorrentes de seu faseamento relativo na topologia do DNA na seqüência responsiva, caracterizando um mecanismo \"chave e fechadura\" para a interação obrigatoriamente simultânea dos dois monômeros ao DNA. No segundo caso, um estudo integrado utilizando a técnica experimental de espalhamento de raios X a baixos ângulos e uma abordagem de modelagem estrutural baseada em dinâmica molecular foi realizado para a celobiohidrolase I de Trichoderma harziannum. Este estudo permitiu tanto a elaboração de um modelo estrutural de maior resolução para esta enzima de alto potencial biotecnológico como a constatação dos possíveis mecanismos moleculares a partir dos quais as glicosilações no peptídeo conector impõem restrições à orientação e modos vibracionais entre seus dois domínios de forma condizente com sua ação concertada na interação e no deslize da enzima sobre a superfície celulósica, ambos de fundamental importância para a processividade da enzima na hidrólise do substrato microcristalino. / Collective motions play a fundamental role in solution biomolecule dynamics and energetics. These movements can couple very distant regions in the protein structures affection, for instance, allosteric mechanisms, the establishment of macromolecular complexes, and on the integrated function of multidomain proteins as molecullar machines. In this thesis, we present results concerning to the joint use of experimental biophysical techniques, structural modeling and molecular dynamics simulations on the study of two systems for which these collective motions have substantial importance. First, we study the interaction of the nuclear retinoid X receptor with its specific DNA hormone response element (HRE) using a combination of molecular dynamics simulations and affinity assays performed by using fluorescence anisotropy. We find out that collective motions mediate the low binding affinity of monomers and the high cooperative binding of HRE dimers. The lower binding affinity of the monomer is more prominent for 5´ monomers. This occur due to an natural ineffective stacking of the last base pair step at the 5´-half-site and to the phasing of the two binding half-sites in the DNA topology, that impose a collective motions that tends to occlude the 5´ binding site. This behavior, in turn, is concurrent with the well known 3´ polarity and the decreased binding specificity to the 5´ half site for the hRXR&alpha; monomer. This same pattern impose a lock-and-key mechanisms dependent on the binding of the full dimer. Second, an integrated Small angle X ray scattering and molecular dynamics based structural modeling was used to comprehend the interdomain motions of cellobiohydrolase I of Trichoderma harziannum. We manage to build a refined model for this enzime, with important biotechnological potential. We also provide insights into molecular mechanisms of linker and glycosylation imposed restraints on the orientation and vibrational modes of the full-length enzyme, supporting a mechanism of sliding of on the cellulose surface. This mechanism is fundamental for the high processivity on the hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose.

Movimentos coletivos prestam um papel fundamental na dinâmica e energética de biomoléculas em solução. Estes movimentos permitem o acoplamento de regiões significativamente distantes, apresentando considerável influência, por exemplo, no alosterismo para a formação de complexos macromoleculares e no funcionamento integrado de proteínas multidomínios como \"máquinas moleculares\". Neste trabalho de doutoramento, serão apresentados os resultados referentes à aplicação conjunta de técnicas experimentais biofísicas, de modelagem estrutural e de dinâmica molecular no estudo de dois sistemas para os quais estes movimentos coletivos demonstram considerável importância funcional. Para a interação do receptor nuclear do ácido 9-cis-retinóico com seu elemento responsivo específico no DNA (HRE), a comparação de estudos de dinâmica molecular com ensaios de afinidade por anisotropia de fluorescência sugere que a resistência inicial para a associação do monômero, seguida da acentuada colaboratividade na associação do dímero é regida por um impedimento da associação do domínio de ligação ao DNA (DBD) para o primeiro à sequência responsiva devido, em última análise, a uma não complementaridade dos modos coletivos mútuos. Este impedimento para a associação monomérica inicial é mais acentuado para o monômero 5\' (para o qual a menor especificidade de ligação à seqüência específica já é bem documentada), devido aos efeitos conjuntos de um \"defeito\" natural no empacotamento de bases da seqüência responsiva, que se manifesta mais significativamente na interface entre o meio-sítio 5\' e a seqüência espaçadora, e dos modos vibracionais entre os dois sítios decorrentes de seu faseamento relativo na topologia do DNA na seqüência responsiva, caracterizando um mecanismo \"chave e fechadura\" para a interação obrigatoriamente simultânea dos dois monômeros ao DNA. No segundo caso, um estudo integrado utilizando a técnica experimental de espalhamento de raios X a baixos ângulos e uma abordagem de modelagem estrutural baseada em dinâmica molecular foi realizado para a celobiohidrolase I de Trichoderma harziannum. Este estudo permitiu tanto a elaboração de um modelo estrutural de maior resolução para esta enzima de alto potencial biotecnológico como a constatação dos possíveis mecanismos moleculares a partir dos quais as glicosilações no peptídeo conector impõem restrições à orientação e modos vibracionais entre seus dois domínios de forma condizente com sua ação concertada na interação e no deslize da enzima sobre a superfície celulósica, ambos de fundamental importância para a processividade da enzima na hidrólise do substrato microcristalino. / Collective motions play a fundamental role in solution biomolecule dynamics and energetics. These movements can couple very distant regions in the protein structures affection, for instance, allosteric mechanisms, the establishment of macromolecular complexes, and on the integrated function of multidomain proteins as molecullar machines. In this thesis, we present results concerning to the joint use of experimental biophysical techniques, structural modeling and molecular dynamics simulations on the study of two systems for which these collective motions have substantial importance. First, we study the interaction of the nuclear retinoid X receptor with its specific DNA hormone response element (HRE) using a combination of molecular dynamics simulations and affinity assays performed by using fluorescence anisotropy. We find out that collective motions mediate the low binding affinity of monomers and the high cooperative binding of HRE dimers. The lower binding affinity of the monomer is more prominent for 5´ monomers. This occur due to an natural ineffective stacking of the last base pair step at the 5´-half-site and to the phasing of the two binding half-sites in the DNA topology, that impose a collective motions that tends to occlude the 5´ binding site. This behavior, in turn, is concurrent with the well known 3´ polarity and the decreased binding specificity to the 5´ half site for the hRXR&alpha; monomer. This same pattern impose a lock-and-key mechanisms dependent on the binding of the full dimer. Second, an integrated Small angle X ray scattering and molecular dynamics based structural modeling was used to comprehend the interdomain motions of cellobiohydrolase I of Trichoderma harziannum. We manage to build a refined model for this enzime, with important biotechnological potential. We also provide insights into molecular mechanisms of linker and glycosylation imposed restraints on the orientation and vibrational modes of the full-length enzyme, supporting a mechanism of sliding of on the cellulose surface. This mechanism is fundamental for the high processivity on the hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose.

Understanding of carbon cycling in coniferous forests that represent a large carbon sink is crucial for our understanding of natural processes under global climate change. Recognition of fungi as fundamental decomposers can contribute to this understanding. Fungi are able to decompose numbers of substrates and possess a variety of enzymes to do so In this study I present litter decomposing fungi in mountain spruce forest from national park Šumava. The aim of my thesis was to follow succession and community changes of fungi from the early stages of decomposition of Picea abies needles until degradation of organic matter in the organic horizon of the soil. This aim was accomplished partly by recording the extracellular enzyme production of fungi in different stages of decomposition from needles attached to the twigs of a fallen tree to a litter material in later stages of decomposition on the soil surface. In addition to testing of fungi on their natural substrata - needle litter, enzyme activities were also measured in laboratory agar cultures, which allow comparison of diverse fungi with different origins. Enzyme activities were aimed at enzymes decomposing cellulose and compounds found in litter. Although ecology of endophytic and saprothrophic fungi suggest differences in enzyme production, these...

科学研究費補助金 研究種目:総合研究(A) 課題番号:03303014 研究代表者:山根 隆 研究期間:1991-1992年度