Abstract
1. It was confirmed that p-hydroxy-m-meth-oxyphenylpyruvic acid occurred in the culture filtrate of Poria subacida, in the medium of which native lignin, xylose and asparagine were contained.
2. Guaiacylglycerol-β-coniferylether and va-nillic acid-like compound were recognized in the extracts of the decayed spruce wood-meal attacked Poria subacida.
3. The decayed lignin extracted from the decayed wood-meal showed the remarkable variation and the existence of the more pre-dominant amount of carbonyl groups, compared with native lignin on their ultraviolet and infrared absorption spectra, and gave no purple-red colour reaction with phloroglucin-hydro-chloric acid reagent.
4. Depending upon the above results, the scheme of degradation of coniferous lignin by the function of the wood-rotting fungus Poria subacida was presumed and discussed.
