Microbial and Enzymatic Degradation of Wood and Wood Components

1 Morphological Aspects of Wood Degradation by Fungi and Bacteria.- 1.1 Morphology of Wood and Wood Components.- 1.2 Wood Degradation by White-Rot Fungi.- 1.3 Wood Degradation by Brown-Rot Fungi.- 1.4 Wood Degradation by Soft-Rot Fungi.- 1.5 Wood Degradation by Bacteria.- 2 Biodegradation of Cellulose.- 2.1 The Structure and Biosynthesis of Cellulose.- 2.1.1 The Chemical Structure of Cellulose.- 2.1.2 Cellulose Biosynthesis: Biochemical Studies.- 2.1.3 The Cellulose Microfibril.- 2.2 Cellulolytic Fungi.- 2.3 Cellulolytic Enzymes.- 2.3.1 The Old Concept.- 2.3.2 Hydrolytic Enzymes.- 2.3.3 Oxidative Enzymes.- 2.3.4 Phosphorolytic Enzymes.- 2.4 Assay of Enzymes Participating in Cellulose Degradation.- 2.4.1 Endo-1,4-?-Glucanase Activity.- 2.4.2 Exo-1,4-?-Glucanase Activity.- 2.4.3 1,4-?-Glucosidase Activity.- 2.4.4 Oxidative Enzymes.- 2.4.5 Phosphorolytic Enzymes.- 2.5 Cellulose Degradation by White-Rot, Brown-Rot, Soft-Rot, and Anaerobic Fungi.- 2.5.1 White-Rot Fungi.- 2.5.2 Brown-Rot Fungi.- 2.5.3 Soft-Rot Fungi.- 2.5.4 Anaerobic Fungi.- 2.6 Cellulose Degradation by Bacteria.- 2.6.1 Aerobic Bacteria.- 2.6.2 Anaerobic Bacteria.- 2.7 Regulation of Cellulase Synthesis.- 2.8 Synergistic Mechanisms Involved in Cellulose Degradation.- 2.9 Examples of Applications of Cellulolytic Microorganisms and Their Enzymes.- 2.9.1 Fermentation of Lignocellulosic Materials to Protein.- 2.9.2 Enzymatic Saccharification of Lignocellulosic Materials for Ethanol Production.- 3 Biodegradation of Hemicelluloses.- 3.1 The Structures of Hemicelluloses.- 3.1.1 Softwood Hemicelluloses.- 3.1.2 Hardwood Hemicelluloses.- 3.2 Biosynthesis of Hemicelluloses.- 3.3 Xylanolytic Enzymes.- 3.3.1 Endo-1,4-?-d-Xylanases.- 3.3.2 1,4-?-d-Xylosidases.- 3.3.3 ?-Arabinosidase.- 3.3.4 ?-d-Glucuronidase.- 3.3.5 Acetyl(Xylan) Esterase.- 3.4 Mannan-Degrading Enzymes.- 3.4.1 Endo-1,4-?-d-Mannanases.- 3.4.2 1,4-?-d-Mannosidase.- 3.4.3 ?-Galactosidase.- 3.5 Examples of Applications of Hemicellulolytic Organisms and Their Enzymes.- 4 Biodegradation of Lignin.- 4.1 Biosynthesis and Structure of Lignin.- 4.2 Lignin Preparations and Methods for Studying Lignin Biodegradation.- 4.3 Lignin Degradation by White-Rot Fungi.- 4.3.1 Physiological Demands, Secondary Metabolism, and Veratryl Alcohol Production in White-Rot Fungi.- 4.3.2 Influence of Nitrogen on Secondary Metabolism and Lignin Degradation.- 4.3.3 Influence of Carbon Source on Lignin Degradation.- 4.3.4 Influence of Agitation and Other Cultivation Conditions on Lignin Degradation and Ligninase Production.- 4.3.5 Influence of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide on Lignin Degradation. Anaerobic Degradation of Lignin and Related Compounds.- 4.4 Chemistry of Lignin Degraded by White-Rot Fungi.- 4.5 Biochemistry of Lignin Degradation.- 4.5.1 Oxygen Radicals and Lignin Degradation.- 4.5.2 The Phenoloxidases Laccase and Peroxidase Including Manganese-Dependent Pexoxidase.- 4.5.3 Ligninase/Lignin Peroxidase.- 4.5.4 Biomimetic Oxidation of Lignin Models.- 4.5.5 H2O2-Producing Enzymes.- 4.5.6 Quinone-Reducing Enzymes.- 4.5.7 Cleavage of Methoxyl Groups by Wood-Rotting Fungi.- 4.6 Metabolism of Monomeric Lignin-Related Compounds.- 4.7 Lignin Degradation by Brown-Rot, Soft-Rot, and Other Fungi.- 4.7.1 Brown-Rot Fungi.- 4.7.2 Soft-Rot Fungi.- 4.7.3 Other Fungi.- 4.8 Lignin Degradation by Bacteria.- 4.8.1 Actinomycetes.- 4.8.2 Other Bacteria.- 4.9 Potential Applications of White-Rot Fungi.- 4.9.1 Biopulping and Biomechanical Pulping.- 4.9.2 Treatment of Wood and Straw to Produce Feed and Food.- 4.9.3 Treatment of Spent Kraft Bleach Liquors.- 4.9.4 By-Products from Lignin.- 4.10 Some Examples of Future Research Possibilities.- References.