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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Isolation of Native Soil Microorganisms with Potential for Breaking Down Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films Used in Agriculture
Published on: May 10, 2013
Degradation of chlorinated pesticide DDT by litter-decomposing basidiomycetes
Hiroto Suhara1, Ai Adachi, Ichiro Kamei
1Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, 4-101 Koyama-Minami, Tottori, 680-8553, Japan. h_suhara@muses.tottori-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
One hundred and two basidiomycete strains (93 species in 41 genera) that prefer a soil environment were examined for screening of 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) biodegradation. Three strains within two litter-decomposing genera, Agrocybe and Marasmiellus, were selected for their DDT biotransformation capacity. Eight metabolites; 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDD), two monohydroxy-DDTs, monohydroxy-DDD, 2,2-dichloro-1,1-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethanol, putative 2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethanol and two unidentified compounds were detected from the culture with Marasmiellus sp. TUFC10101. A P450 inhibitor, 1-ABT, inhibited the formation of monohydroxy-DDTs and monohydroxy-DDD from DDT and DDD, respectively. These results indicated that oxidative pathway which was catalyzed by P450 monooxygenase exist beside reductive dechlorination of DDT. Monohydroxylation of the aromatic rings of DDT (and DDD) by fungal P450 is reported here for the first time.
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