Evaluating the basidiomycetes Poria medula-panis and Wolfiporia cocos for xylanase production

Xylanase, oxidative enzymes and iron-binding compounds were detected in the filtrates of Wolfiporia cocos and Poria medula-panis grown in wheat bran liquid medium. Xylanase and iron-binding compounds were produced at high levels by the brown-rot fungus (BR) W. cocos and at low levels by the white-rot fungus (WR) P. medula-panis. Phenoloxidase was produced only by P. medula-panis. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) (SDS-PAGE) showed a wide variety of bands for extracellular proteins produced by W.cocos, with low molecular weight (<30 kDa) and minor bands with molecular weight above 45 kDa. Two bands with xylanase activity derived from W. cocos extracts were detected in the gels, whereas many different bands with xylanase activity were found in the extracts from P. medula-panis. P. medula-panis is a selective lignin degrader, whereas W. cocos preferentially removes cellulose from wood.