Studies on ligninolytic enzyme laccase from an isolated fungus belonging to the genus Phoma

Abstract

Laccase (benzenediol: oxygen oxidoreductases, EC 1.10.3.2) is a multicopper oxidase (MCO), which catalyzes the oxidation of wide range of its substrates including diphenols, polyphenols, substituted phenols, diamines, and aromatic amines. Laccase oxidizes its substrates using molecular oxygen as an electron acceptor with the concomitant reduction of oxygen to water. Laccase was first reported in the exudates of the Japanese lacquer tree Rhus vernicifera. It is widely distributed among plants, insects, fungi and bacteria. In different species, laccases are involved in various physiological roles. In fungi, laccase is involved in host-pathogen interaction, morphogenesis, lignin degradation and stress defence. In recent years, fungal laccases have been studied extensively due to their potential applications in various industries like, food and beverages, paper and pulp, textile, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, organic synthesis, biosensors and in bioremediation. Higher amount of laccase production in commercial scale from microbial sources is a major constrain. Currently, the focus of basic research is to obtain the maximum production of laccase by optimizing the fermentation medium with reducing production cost. In the present study, we aimed to screen a novel laccase producing strain, optimize the production conditions for increased laccase yield, purify and