Increase of the degradation activity of Phanerochaete chrysosporium by hybridization with silica nanoparticles

Silica nanoparticle–hybridized Phanerochaete chrysosporium mycelium pellets were prepared by a simple one-step composite technology–based approach, involving co-culturing of silica nanoparticles with this fungus under mild culture conditions. The hybrid generated displays a significant increase in peroxidase activity, which reaches a maximum on the fifth day of culturing. Hybridization causes a morphology change and significantly increases the rate of crystal violet degradation, the amounts of excreted extracellular manganese peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide, and the rate of glucose consumption. The results show that hybridization with silica nanoparticles significantly increases of the degradation activity of P. chrysosporium cells.