Enhanced removal of PAHs by Peniophora incarnata and ascertainment of its novel ligninolytic enzyme genes

•Ligninolytic enzymes were induced by tween 80.•Biodegradation rates of PAHs were enhanced by induced ligninolytic enzymes.•Enhanced biodegradation rates were verified by kinetics.•Two novel genes involved in laccase and MnP imply the degradation of PAHs.

The hazardous effects of the PAHs should be managed by removal using white rot fungal ligninolytic enzymes. The white rot fungus Peniophora incarnataKUC8836 was stimulated to produce ligninolytic enzymes in a liquid medium by the addition of four substances: 0.5 g L−1 Tween 80, 70 mg L−1 CuSO4·5H2O, 10 mg L−1 MnSO4·H2O, and 0.3 g L−1 veratryl alcohol. The experiments were carried out in two different media: basal salt and 2% malt extract (ME) liquid medium. Under the experimental conditions, both laccase and manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP) demonstrated with the highest activities in 2% ME liquid medium following the addition of Tween 80. The biodegradation of anthracene and pyrene was significantly enhanced by the induced ligninolytic enzymes when Tween 80 was added. Tween 80 is a viable co-substrate for P. incarnata, as it enhances the ability of P. incarnata to manage effective biodegradation of PAHs. Most of all, the novel laccase and MnP genes ascertained in this study, showed that the genes were involved in the production of ligninolytic enzymes from P. incarnataKUC8836.