Phlebia radiata laccase forms induced by veratric acid and xylidine in relation to lignin peroxidase and manganese-dependent peroxidase

Copper-Dependent Production of aPycnoporus coccineusExtracellular Laccase inAspergillus oryzaeandSaccharomyces cerevisiae

Laccase is a multicopper-containing enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of phenolic compounds. lcc1 cDNA coding for a secretory laccase of Pycnoporus coccineus was expressed under the maltose inducible amyB promoter in Aspergillus oryzae and under the galactose inducible GAL10 promoter in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Laccase activities, which were undetectable in the absence of copper, were observed by increasing copper concentrations in the media for both systems. The amounts of secreted laccase protein but not lcc1 mRNA increased in proportion to copper concentrations in A. oryzae. The extracellular activities of native A. oryzae amylase and recombinant RNase-T1 expressed from the same amyB promoter in A. oryzae were constant regardless of copper concentrations. Our results indicate that a high copper concentration is required for the production of active laccase in heterologous hosts and that the copper is required for a post-transcriptional process.

Fungal laccase, manganese peroxidase and lignin peroxidase: gene expression and regulation

Extensive research efforts have been dedicated to characterizing expression of laccases and peroxidases and their regulation in numerous fungal species. Much attention has been brought to these enzymes broad substrate specificity resulting in oxidation of a variety of organic compounds which brings about possibilities of their utilization in biotechnological and environmental applications. Research attempts have resulted in increased production of both laccases and peroxidases by the aid of heterologous and homologous expression. Through analysis of promoter regions, protein expression patterns and culture conditions manipulations it was possible to compare and identify common pathways of these enzymes' production and secretion. Although laccase and peroxidase proteins have been crystallized and thoroughly analyzed, there are still a lot of questions remaining about their evolutionary origin and the physiological functions. This review describes the present understanding of promoter sequences and correlation between the observed regulatory effects on laccase, manganese peroxidase and lignin peroxidase genes transcript levels and the presence of specific response elements.

Enhanced laccase production in white-rot fungus Rigidoporus lignosus by the addition of selected phenolic and aromatic compounds

The white rot fungus Rigidoporus lignosus produces substantial amounts of extracellular laccase, a multicopper blue oxidase which is capable of oxidizing a wide range of organic substrates. Laccase production can be greatly enhanced in liquid cultures supplemented with various aromatic and phenolic compounds. The maximum enzyme activity was reached at the 21st or 24th day of fungal cultivation after the addition of inducers. The zymograms of extracellular fluid of culture preparation in the presence of inducers, at maximum activity day, revealed two bands with enzymatic activity, called Lac1 and Lac2, having different intensities. Lac2 band shows the higher intensity which changed with the different inducers. Laccase induction can be also obtained by adding to the culture medium olive mill wastewaters, which shows a high content of phenolic compounds.

Effect of low doses of guaiacol and ethanol on enzymatic activity of fungal cultures

The influence of low doses of guaiacol and ethanol, the natural effectors of lignin and phenolics transformations, on laccase and peroxidase activities produced by two strains of Basidiomycetes, Pleurotus sajor-caju and Trametes versicolor, was evaluated. Fungal mycelia were grown for 2 weeks on liquid media containing serial dilutions of guaiacol or ethanol ranging from 100(-1) to 100(-20) mol/L. Laccase and peroxidase activities in the medium were measured at the end of 2 weeks. The effect of low doses of guaiacol and ethanol on enzyme activities was manifested in an oscillating manner. Similar response patterns were observed when pure enzymes were exposed to the same serial dilutions of guaiacol and ethanol. T. versicolor cultures enriched with 40 mmol guaiacol (simulating natural environmental conditions) also displayed oscillating enzyme activity patterns in response to serial dilutions of guaiacol, but the maximum enzyme activity values were increased compared to those observed in cultures not receiving 40 mmol guaiacol. The differences between maxima and minima varied among the experimental groups and depended on the species of fungus, type of effector, and kind of enzyme. The results suggest the possibility of subtle regulation of enzymatic activity on the molecular level.

Laccase production by some Phlebia species

The present study was carried out to examine the ability of four species of the genus Phlebia, viz. P. floridensis, P. brevispora, P. radiata and P. fascicularia, to produce the ligninolytic enzyme laccase in liquid culture. P. floridensis was the most active species that even surpassed laccase production by Trametes versicolor, and was chosen for further study. Among several carbon sources tested, malt extract turned out to be the best medium for subsequent laccase concentration by ammonium sulfate precipitation. Specific enzyme activity increased 12-fold during this procedure and a K(m) value of 0.33 mM was calculated for the resulting laccase preparation using guaiacol as the substrate. Concentrated laccase from P. floridensis was relatively thermostable and retained 70% and 15% of its activity after 1 h preincubation at 50 degrees C and 60 degrees C, respectively.

Isolation of Five Laccase Gene Sequences from the White-Rot Fungus Trametes sanguinea by PCR, and Cloning, Characterization and Expression of the Laccase cDNA in Yeasts

To obtain laccase-gene-specific sequences from the white-rot fungus Trametes sanguinea M85-2, a PCR screening method was used. Degenerate primers were designed based on highly conserved copper-binding regions I and IV of known laccases and used to amplify laccase sequences from T. sanguinea M85-2 genomic DNA. A single 1.6-kbp DNA band was amplified and cloned into a vector. Partial sequences of 21 clones were classified into five groups (lcc1-5) and the deduced amino acid sequences were all homologous to known laccase sequences. Based on the partial sequence of lcc1, the 5'-end of its cDNA was obtained by a PCR termed 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5'-RACE), and RT-PCR was then carried out using the 5'-primer and the poly-dT primer to obtain the full-length lcc1 cDNA. The obtained cDNA encoded a protein consisting of 518 amino acid residues and its first 21 amino acid residues were predicted to be the signal peptide for secretion. The conserved characteristic structures of laccase, such as copper-binding ligands, N-glycosylation sites, and cysteine residues for disulfide bridges, were observed. The genomic DNA sequence of the lcc1 gene was also cloned by PCR method and the sequence revealed 10 introns. The lcc1 cDNA was inserted into yeast vectors for heterologous expression by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris. Phenol-oxidizing activity was detected from transformants of the yeasts, indicating that the obtained cDNA encodes a laccase. Previously, two laccase isozymes were biochemically characterized and purified from T. sanguinea M85-2. Using the sequential PCR method presented here, we have obtained partial sequences of at least five laccase genes and one cDNA clone encoding a protein with laccase activity but without any enzymatic information, suggesting that expressed enzymes under restricted conditions may not represent all the isozymes in target microorganisms. PCR cloning and heterologous expression of the cloned genes can be an alternative method of screening enzymes if these enzymes have conserved sequences.

Purification, partial characterization, and reactivity with aromatic compounds of two laccases from Marasmius quercophilus strain 17

Two isozymes of laccase were obtained from an induced liquid culture of Marasmius quercophilus with p-hydroxybenzoic acid as the inducer. Both the constitutive and the induced isozyme have a molecular mass of 60 kDa as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Using isoelectric focusing, we found three isozymes with the constitutive enzyme (pI 4, 4.2, 4.4) and four of the induced form (pI 4.75, 4.85, 4.95, 5.1). We observed certain differences between these two isozymes; the specific activity of the induced isozyme was twice as high, and two optimum pH levels (5 and 6) were observed with the induced isozyme (only one, pH 5, for the constitutive isozyme). However, both of these enzymes have the same thermal stability and the same temperature for their highest activity (80 degrees C). Furthermore, the reactivity of both these enzymes with aromatic compounds was similar. The use of mediators extended the oxidized substrate range of the laccases studied. Various products of degradation were observed, depending on the mediator used. When laccase was used alone, the decrease of the signal corresponding to the aromatic cycle, without any formations of other peaks at different wavelengths, suggested polymerisation of aromatic compounds.