Degradation of benzo[a]pyrene as sole carbon source by a non white rot fungus, Fusarium solani

Non white rot fungi isolated from fuel-contaminated soil were screened for their ability to grow with benzo[a]pyrene as sole carbon source. The capacity of one isolate identified as F. solani F33 was further investigated by studying the mineralization of [7,10-C-14]benzo[a]pyrene. Spores of F. solani were able to germinate in presence of benzo[a]pyrene and growing mycelium mineralized [7,10-C-14]benzo[a]pyrene (0.2 % over a period of 10 days). The amount of CO2 released decreased of 66 % in 10 days culture in the presence of the inhibitor of cytochrome P-450 1-aminobenzotriazole, suggesting that such enzymes are involved in benzo[a]pyrene degradation by F, solani. This hypothesis was also enhanced by observing, in F. solani grown on benzo[a]pyrene, the presence of small solani vesicles grown with on high fluorescence due to accumulation of BaP or its metabolites, not observed in control culture.