Abstract

Laccase produced by Coriolus hirsutus was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by acetone precipitation, Sephacryl S-2000 HR chromatography, DEAE Sepharose CL-6B chromatography, and Mono Q HR 5/5 chromatography. The purification of laccase was 46.6-fold with an overall yield of 23.7%. Laccase from this fungus was a monomeric glycoprotein with 16% carbohydrate content, and has an isoelectric point of 4.2, and molecular mass of 78 kDa, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme showed significant homology to hoste of laccases from Coriolus versicolor, Pycnoporus cinnabarius, and an unidentified basidiomycete, PM1. The highest rate of 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) oxidation by laccase was reached at 45℃, and the pH optima of the enzyme varied depending on the substrate in the range of 2.0 to 4.5. The enzyme was stable at 60℃ for 5 h and lost 80% activity at 80℃ in 30 min. The enzyme oxidized a variety of usual laccase substrates including lignin-related phenol, and had the highest affinity toward ABTS. Under standard assay conditions, the apparent Km value of the enzyme toward ABTS was 8.1 μM. The enzyme was completely inhibited by L-cysteine and sodium azide, but not by potassium cyanide, SDS, ad thiourea.

• Keywords: Extracellular laccases; C. hirsutus