Lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese peroxidase (MnP)
were discovered in the mid-1980s in P. chrysosporium and
described as true ligninases because of their high redox potential
. LiP degrades non-phenolic lignin units (up to 90% of the
polymer), whereas MnP generates Mn3+, which acts as a diffusible
oxidizer on phenolic or non-phenolic lignin units via lipid
peroxidation reactions . More recently, versatile peroxidase
(VP) has been described in Pleurotus and other fungi as
a third type of ligninolytic peroxidase that combines the catalytic
properties of LiP, MnP, and plant/microbial peroxidases oxidizing
phenolic compounds