Assay for Laccase activity by microcalorimetry: laccase was extracted from china lacquer of Rhus vernicifera

Recent advances in laccase activity assays: A crucial challenge for applications on complex substrates

Despite being one of the first enzymes discovered in 1883, the determination of laccase activity remains a scientific challenge, and a barrier to the full use of laccase as a biocatalyst. Indeed, laccase, an oxidase of the blue multi-copper oxidases family, has a wide range of substrates including substituted phenols, aromatic amines and lignin-related compounds. Its one-electron mechanism requires only oxygen and releases water as a reaction product. These characteristics make laccase a biocatalyst of interest in many fields of applications including pulp and paper industry, biorefineries, food, textile, and pharmaceutical industries. But to fully envisage the use of laccase at an industrial scale, its activity must be reliably quantifiable on complex substrates and in complex matrices. This review aims to describe current and emerging methods for laccase activity assays and place them in the context of a potential industrial use of the enzyme.

Isothermal titration calorimetric assessment of lignin conversion by laccases

Lignin valorization may offer a sustainable approach to achieve a chemical industry that is not completely dependent on fossil resources for the production of aromatics. However, lignin is a recalcitrant, heterogeneous, and complex polymeric compound for which only very few catalysts can act in a predictable and reproducible manner. Laccase is one of those catalysts and has often been referred to as an ideal “green” catalyst, as it is able to oxidize various linkages within lignin to release aromatic products, with the use of molecular oxygen and formation of water as the only side product. The extent and rate of laccase‐catalyzed lignin conversion were measured using the label‐free analytical technique isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). IITC provides the molar enthalpy of the reaction, which reflects the extent of conversion and the time‐dependent power trace, which reflects the rate of the reaction. Calorimetric assessment of the lignin conversion brought about by various fungal and bacterial laccases in the absence of mediators showed marked differences in the extent and rate of conversion for the different enzymes. Kraft lignin conversion by Trametes versicolor laccase followed Michaelis–Menten kinetics and was characterized by the following thermodynamic and kinetic parameters ΔH_ITC = −(2.06 ± 0.06)·10³ kJ mol⁻¹, K_M = 6.6 ± 1.2 μM and V_max = 0.30 ± 0.02 U/mg at 25°C and pH 6.5. We envision calorimetric techniques as important tools for the development of enzymatic lignin valorization strategies.

High Level Secretion of Laccase (LccH) from a Newly Isolated White-Rot Basidiomycete, Hexagonia hirta MSF2

Newer and novel laccases attract considerable attention due to its promising and valuable multiple applications in biotech industry. This present investigation documents, for the first time, on high level extracellular secretion of laccase (LccH) in newly isolated wood-degrading basidiomycete Hexagonia hirta MSF2. LccH was optimally active at 40°C in citrate phosphate buffer with a pH of 3.4. Optimized Cu(2+) in glucose yeast extract (GY) medium enhanced the LccH production by H. hirta to 1944.44 U.ml(-1). A further increment in LccH activity of 5671.30 U.ml(-1) was achieved by the addition of a phenolic inducer, 2,5 Xylidine. Zymogram and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis of LccH revealed that LccH is a monomer with a molecular mass of 66 kDa. MALDI-TOF-MS based peptide mass fingerprinting and comparative modeling of the amino acid sequence of LccH showed that it was closer to Trametes sp. AH28-2 (PDB: 3KW7) with 48% identity, 95% coverage, 0.011 alignment score and RMSD of 0.497Å. Crude LccH delignified lignocellulosic biomass such as wood and corncob, to a level of 28.6 and 16.5%, respectively. Such high level secretion, thermal and solvent stability of LccH make H. hirta a potential candidate not only for LccH production and biodelignification but also generation of lignin derived aromatic feed stock chemicals for industrial and environmental applications.

Effect of nisin on the growth ofStaphylococcus aureus determined by a microcalorimetric method

A novel microcalorimetric technique based on the bacterial heat output was applied to evaluate the biological effect of nisin on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. The thermogenic curves of S. aureus in the presence of nisin were studied by an LKB-2277 Thermal Activity Monitor. The thermokinetic parameters, such as the growth rate constant (k), the generation times (G), the inhibitory ratio (I), and the half inhibitory concentration (IC50), for the growth of S. aureus at different nisin concentrations were determined. The relationship between the growth rate constant (k) and the concentration of nisin (c) is nearly linear, which can be modeled by the formula k = 0.03794 - 4.005 x 10(-4) x c, with a correlation coefficient of -0.9971. Based on this model, we obtained the critical inhibitory concentration of nisin on the growth of S. aureus at 94.73 IU/mL. We proposed that this microcalorimetric method could be a useful tool in monitoring the biological effect of nisin on microorganisms, and providing valuable information on the study of microorganism metabolisms.

Microcalorimetric investigation on the growth model and the protein yield of Bacillus thuringiensis

A novel microcalorimetric technique based on the bacterial heat output was applied to evaluate the special growth model, the protein expression and the generation time of Bacillus thuringiensis for the first time. The thermogenic curves of the aerobic metabolism of B. thuringiensis strains YBT-833, YBT-1520 and YBT-833-2-1 were determined by using an LKB-2277 BioActivity Monitor. The analysis of the thermogenic curves indicated both the mutant strain and the wild-type strains followed the same linear growth model during sporulation. The metabolism heat output revealed heat output was correlated to the yield of the insecticidal crystal proteins (ICPs) very well, the more protein product, and the less heat output. Based on the data acquired, we proposed that this method could be a useful tool in monitoring the fermentation of B. thuringiensis.