Culture liquids of the litter-decomposing basidiomycete Stropharia coronilla showed pro-oxidant activity promoting the peroxidation of linoleic acid. This activity depended on the presence of manganese peroxidase (MnP) in the fungal Culture. Pro-oxidant activity maxima coincided with maximum MnP activities during the separation of extracellular proteins by anion-exchange chromatography. Purified MnP1 showed Substantial pro-oxidant activity in the presence of acetate and Mn2+ ions, even without the addition of hydrogen peroxide. A non-phenolic beta-O-4 lignin model Compound [LMC; 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1,3-dihydroxypropane] was partially oxidized in an in vitro reaction system developing MnP-dependent lipid peroxidation. The chelating organic acids malonate and tartrate noticeably inhibited both the peroxidation of linoleic acid and the conversion of LMC in the system. The major product of the LMC oxidation was 1-(3,4-dimetlioxyphenyl)-1-oxo-2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-3-hydroxypropane; in addition, small amounts of 3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (veratraldehyde) and 3,4-dimethoxybenzoic (veratric) acid were detected. Thus, MnP-mitiated lipid peroxidation may be involved in the degradation of recalcitrant non-phenolic lignin substructures by litter-decomposing fungi similar to MnPs of wood-decaying fungi. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.