Ligninase

Ligninase is the original term encompassing many different types of oxidative, extracellular fungal enzymes which catalyze the breakdown of lignin which is commonly found in the cell walls of plants. Instead of the term ligninase, the term lignin-modifying enzymes (LMEs) should be used, since these enzymes are not hydrolytic but oxidative (electron withdrawing) by their enzymatic mechanisms. LMEs include peroxidases, such as lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase and versatile peroxidase, and many phenol-oxidases of laccase type.