To evaluate effects of ligninolytic enzyme type on the mycelial response and ligninolytic enzyme production during interspecific interactions among wood-rotting fungi, 4 fungal strains, Trichophyton rubrum LKY-7, Trichophyton rubrum LSK-27, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus, and Trichoderma viride, were selected. Regarding ligninolytic enzyme production, LKY-7 secreted laccase and manganese peroxidase (MnP), P. cinnabarinus secreted only laccase, and LSK-27 secreted only MnP in glucosepeptone medium, while T. viride did not produce any ligninolytic enzymes. In the co-culture of LKY-7 with P. cinnabarinus, the formation of aerial mycelium was observed and the enhancement of laccase activity owing to interspecific interaction appeared to be very low. In the co-culture of LKY-7 and P. cinnabarinus with LSK-27, a hypha-free clear zone was observed, which resulted in deadlock, and increased laccase or MnP activity was detected at the interaction zone. The interaction responses of LKY-7, P. cinnabarinus, and LSK-27 with T. viride were characterized by the formation of mycelial barrages along the interface. As mycelial barrages were observed at the T. viride territory and no brownish pigment was observed in the mycelial barrages, it is suggested that laccase and MnP are released as part of an offensive response, not as a defensive response. The co-culture of P. cinnabarinus with T. viride lead to the highest enhancement in laccase activity, yielding more than 14-fold increase in laccase activity with respect to the mono-culture of P. cinnabarinus. MnP activities secreted by LKY-7 or LSK-27 was generally low in interspecific interactions.

Introduction
 Materials and Methods
  Fungal strains and culture conditions
  Interspecific interactions on agar plates
  Sampling and enzyme extraction
  Enzyme assays
 Results and Discussion
  Mono-culturing of wood-rotting fungi on agar plate
  Interspecific interactions of wood-rotting fungi onagar plates
  Mycelial responses
  Ligninolytic enzyme production
  Effect of laccase inhibitor on interspecificinteraction
 Conclusion
 References

• Kab-Yeon Lee(Academic-Industrial Cooperation Organization, Sunchon National University)
• Seur-Kee Park(Dept. of Plant Medicine, Sunchon National University)
• In-Hyeop Park(Dept. of Forest Resources, Sunchon National University)
• Joon-Sun Kim(Dept. of Forest Resources, Sunchon National University)
• Moon-Su Park(Dept. of Forest Resources, Sunchon National University)
• Hyun-Chae Jung(Dept. of Forest Resources, Sunchon National University) Corresponding author