DEGRADATION OF USNIC ACID BY MICROORGANISMS

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Abstract
Soil fungi and bacteria were isolated from surface and subsurface soil samples collected at Rubble Creek in the Garibaldi Park area. Usnic acid inhibited the growth of 6 of the 7 bacterial isolates and 10 of the 18 fungal isolates from soil. Only 1 bacterial isolate, a species of Pseudomonas, appeared to degrade usnic acid. Phycomycetes, Ascomycetes, and Fungi Imperfecti showed the ability to alter or degrade usnic acid. An isolate of Cladosporium twice degraded 60% of the usnic acid provided (0.4 g/liter) in a 10-day period. After subculturing for 6 months, however, this isolate completely lost the ability to degrade the compound.

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