Degradation of lignin in wheat straw during growth of the oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) using off-line thermochemolysis with tetramethylammonium hydroxide and solid-state 13C NMR

The oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) is widely cultivated on wheat straw (Triticum aestivum); however, there is a need to better understand the relationship between the chemical composition of the compost and mushroom growth. Wheat straw was degraded over a period of 63 days by P. ostreatus during which time it was sampled at weekly intervals. Off-line thermochemolysis with tetramethylammonium hydroxide and solid-state C-13 NMR were then used in the molecular characterization of the undegraded wheat straw and the degraded samples. The degraded wheat straw samples had a lower proportion of syringyl- to guaiacyl-derived moieties and cinnamyl- to guaiacyl-derived moieties than the undegraded control. There were increases in both guaiacyl and syringyl acid to aldehyde ratios with composting time, which showed that side-chain oxidation has been mediated by P. ostreatus. The C-13 NMR spectra confirmed the increase in carboxyl content but indicated that the overall lignin and methoxyl contents remained relatively constant, although some nonsystematic variations were observed. The spectra also showed a decrease in amorphous noncellulosic polysaccharides in relation to the crystalline cellulose upon degradation.