Microbial and Enzymatic Degradation of Wood and Wood Components, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1990
Coll. Springer Series in Wood Science

The oil crisis during the 1970s turned interest towards the utilization of renewable resources and towards lignocellulosics in particular. The 1970s were also the cradle period of biotechnology, and the years when biotechnical utilization of lignocellulosic waste from agriculture and forestry gained priori­ ty. This was a logical conclusion since one of nature's most important biologi­ cal reactions is the conversion of wood and other lignocellulosic materials to carbon dioxide, water and humic substances. However, while biotechnology in other areas like medicine and pharmacology concerned production of expen­ sive products on a small scale, biotechnical utilization and conversion of ligno­ cellulosics meant production of inexpensive products on a large scale. Biotechnical utilization of lignocellulosic materials is therefore a very difficult task, and the commercial utilization of this technology has not progressed as rapidly as one would have desired. One reason for this was the lack of basic knowledge of enzyme mechanisms involved in the degradation and conversion of wood, other lignocellulosics and their individual components. There are also risks associated with initiating a technical development before a stable platform of knowledge is available. Several of the projects started with en­ thusiasm have therefore suffered some loss of interest. Also contributing to this failing interest is the fact that the oil crisis at the time was not a real one. At present, nobody predicts a rapid exhaustion of the oil resources and fuel production from lignocellulosics is no longer a high priority.

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.- 2.2 Cellulolytic Fungi.- 2.3 Cellulolytic Enzymes.- 2.4 Assay of Enzymes Participating in Cellulose Degradation.- 2.5 Cellulose Degradation by White-Rot, Brown-Rot, Soft-Rot, and Anaerobic Fungi.- 2.6 Cellulose Degradation by 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.- 3 Biodegradation of Hemicelluloses.- 3.1 The Structures of Hemicelluloses.- 3.2 Biosynthesis of Hemicelluloses.- 3.3 Xylanolytic Enzymes.- 3.4 Mannan-Degrading Enzymes.- 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.- 4.4 Chemistry of Lignin Degraded by White-Rot Fungi.- 4.5 Biochemistry of Lignin Degradation.- 4.6 Metabolism of Monomeric Lignin-Related Compounds.- 4.7 Lignin Degradation by Brown-Rot, Soft-Rot, and Other Fungi.- 4.8 Lignin Degradation by Bacteria.- 4.9 Potential Applications of White-Rot Fungi.- 4.10 Some Examples of Future Research Possibilities.- References.