Conversion of aminonitrotoluenes by fungal manganese peroxidase.

Preparations of extracellular manganese peroxidase from the white-rot fungus Nematoloma frowardii and the litter decaying fungus Stropharia rugosoannulata converted rapidly the main intermediates of the explosive 2,4,-trinitrotoluene--the aminonitrotoluenes. In a cell-free system, 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene, 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene and 2,6-diamino-4-nitrotoluene were degraded without formation of identifiable metabolites. Radioactive experiments using a complex mixture of uniform ring-labeled 14C-TNT reduction products demonstrated the partial direct mineralization of these compounds by manganese peroxidase. The extent of aminonitrotoluene conversion as well as the release of 14CO2 from TNT reduction products were considerably enhanced in the presence of thiols like reduced glutathione or the amino acid L-cystein, which probably act as secondary mediators.