Fungal degradation of 1-naphthol

Abstract

The biological degradation of 1-naphthol was studied during growth, with replacement cultures and cell extracts of the fungus Fusarium solani. Radioactivity of 1-naphthol-1-14C disappeared partially during growth, but it was completely dissipated by cell-extract activity. More than 80% of 14CO2 evolved was collected after 60 min incubation in a cell-extract experiment. The active enzymes seem to be constitutive inasmuch as 1-naphthol was metabolized with cells which were not cultured on an inducing substrate. No difference in activity could be observed between cell-free extracts prepared from spores or mycelium of the fungus.