Purification and characterization of a novel laccase from the ascomycete Trichoderma atroviride: Application on bioremediation of phenolic compounds

The extracellular laccase produced by the ascomycete Trichoderma atroviride was purified and characterized and its ability to transform phenolic compounds was determined. The purified laccase had activity towards typical substrates of laccases including 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS), dimethoxyphenol (2,6-DMP), syringaldazine and hydroquinone. The enzyme was a monomeric protein with an apparent molecular mass of 80 kDa and an isoelectric point of 3.5. The pH optima for the oxidation of ABTS and 2,6-DMP were 3 and 5, respectively, and the optimum temperature was 50 °C with 2,6-DMP. The laccase was stable at slightly acidic pH (4 and 5). It retained 80% of its activity after 4 h incubation at 40 °C. Under standard assay conditions, K_m values of the enzyme were 2.5 and 1.6 mM towards ABTS and 2,6-DMP, respectively. This enzyme was able to oxidize aromatic compounds present in industrial and agricultural wastewater, as catechol and o-cresol, although the transformation of chlorinated phenols required the presence of ABTS as mediator.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel metagenome-derived multicopper oxidase with alkaline laccase activity and highly soluble expression

Lac591, a gene encoding a novel multicopper oxidase with laccase activity, was identified through activity-based functional screening of a metagenomic library from mangrove soil. Sequence analysis revealed that lac591 encodes a protein of 500 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 57.4 kDa. Lac591 was overexpressed heterologously as soluble active enzyme in Escherichia coli and purified, giving rise to 380 mg of purified enzyme from 1 l induced culture, which is the highest expression report for bacterial laccase genes so far. Furthermore, the recombinant enzyme demonstrated activity toward classical laccase substrates syringaldazine (SGZ), guaiacol, and 2, 6-dimethoxyphenol (2, 6-DMP). The purified Lac591 exhibited maximal activity at 55°C and pH 7.5 with guaiacol as substrate and was found to be stable in the pH range of 7.0–10.0. The substrate specificity on different substrates was studied with the purified enzyme, and the optimal substrates were in the order of 2, 6-DMP > catechol > α-naphthol > guaiacol > SGZ > 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid). The alkaline activity and highly soluble expression of Lac591 make it a good candidate of laccases in industrial applications for which classical laccases are unsuitable, such as biobleaching of paper pulp and dyestuffs processing.     

Cloning and characterization of a new laccase from Bacillus licheniformis catalyzing dimerization of phenolic acids

A new laccase gene (cotA) was cloned from Bacillus licheniformis and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein CotA was purified and showed spectroscopic properties, typical for blue multi-copper oxidases. The enzyme has a molecular weight of ~65 kDa and demonstrates activity towards canonical laccase substrates 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), syringaldazine (SGZ) and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (2,6-DMP). Kinetic constants K _M and k _cat for ABTS were of 6.5 ± 0.2 μM and 83 s⁻¹, for SGZ of 4.3 ± 0.2 μM and 100 s⁻¹, and for 2,6-DMP of 56.7 ± 1.0 μM and 28 s⁻¹. Highest oxidizing activity towards ABTS was obtained at 85°C. However, after 1 h incubation of CotA at 70°C and 80°C, a residual activity of 43% and 8%, respectively, was measured. Furthermore, oxidation of several phenolic acids and one non-phenolic acid by CotA was investigated. CotA failed to oxidize coumaric acid, cinnamic acid, and vanillic acid, while syringic acid was oxidized to 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone. Additionally, dimerization of sinapic acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid by CotA was observed, and highest activity of CotA was found towards sinapic acid.     

Enhanced expression of a recombinant bacterial laccase at low temperature and microaerobic conditions: purification and biochemical characterization

Laccases (benzenediol oxygen oxidoreductase; EC 1.10.3.2) have many biotechnological applications because of their oxidation ability towards a wide range of phenolic compounds. Within recent years, researchers have been highly interested in the identification and characterization of laccases from bacterial sources. In this study, we have isolated and cloned a gene encoding laccase (CotA) from Bacillus sp. HR03 and then expressed it under microaerobic conditions and decreased temperature in order to obtain high amounts of soluble protein. The laccase was purified and its biochemical properties were investigated using three common laccase substrates, 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), syringaldazine (SGZ) and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (2,6-DMP). K _M and k _cat were calculated 535 μM and 127 s⁻¹ for ABTS, 53 μM and 3 s⁻¹ for 2, 6-DMP and 5 μM and 20 s⁻¹ for SGZ when the whole reactions were carried out at room temperature. Laccase activity was also studied when the enzyme was preincubated at 70 and 80°C. With SGZ as the substrate, the activity was increased three-fold after 50 min preincubation at 70°C and 2.4-fold after 10 min preincubation at 80°C. Preincubation of the enzyme in 70°C for 30 min raised the activity four-fold with ABTS as the substrate. Also, l-dopa was used as a substrate. The enzyme was able to oxidize l-dopa with the K _M and k _cat of 1,493 μM and 194 s⁻¹, respectively.     

Implication of mycelium-associated laccase from Irpex lacteus in the decolorization of synthetic dyes

The white rot fungus Irpex lacteus is able to decolorize such synthetic dyes as Reactive Orange 16 and Remazol Brilliant Blue R. Here, we demonstrate that this type of dye decolorization is mainly related to a laccase-like enzyme activity associated with fungal mycelium. In its bound form, the enzyme detected showed a pH optimum of 3.0 for the oxidation of ABTS, DMP and guaiacol, and a pH of 7.0 for syringaldazine. The highest enzymatic activity was obtained with ABTS as substrate. Enzyme activity was fully inhibited with 50mM NaN(3). Depending on the chemical structure of dyes, redox mediators had a positive effect on the dye decolorization by fungal mycelium. Enzyme isolated from fungal mycelium was able to decolorize synthetic dyes in vitro.     

First laccase in green algae: purification and characterization of an extracellular phenol oxidase from Tetracystis aeria

Main conclusion

A green algal phenol oxidase was firstly purified, confirmed to be a laccase, and a hetero-oligomeric quaternary structure is suggested. The operation of a laccase-mediator system is firstly described in algae. Laccases (EC 1.10.3.2) catalyze the oxidation of a multitude of aromatic substrates. They are well known in higher plants and fungi, while their presence in green algae appears uncertain. Extracellular laccase-like enzyme activity has previously been described in culture supernatants of the green soil alga Tetracystis aeria [Otto et al. in Arch Microbiol 192:759–768, (2010)]. As reported herein, the T. aeria enzyme was purified 120-fold by employing a combination of anion exchange and size exclusion chromatography. The purified enzyme was confirmed to be a laccase according to its substrate specificity. It oxidizes 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), syringaldazine, and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (pH optima of pH ≤2.5, 7.0, and 6.5; K _m values of 28.8, 40.5, and 1,830 µM; respectively), but not l-tyrosine or Fe²⁺. ABTS is by far the most efficient substrate. Two polypeptides, A (~110 kDa) and B (71 kDa), were co-purified by the applied procedure, both being highly N-glycosylated (≥~53 and ≥27 %, respectively). As suggested by various gel electrophoretic analyses, the native enzyme (apparent molecular mass of ~220 kDa) most probably is a hetero-oligomer with the composition AB ₂ , wherein A is the catalytic subunit and B forms a disulfide-linked homo-dimer B ₂ . The decolorization of anthraquinone (Acid Blue 62 and Remazol Brilliant Blue R) and diazo dyes (Reactive Black 5) was studied in the presence of redox-mediating compounds (ABTS and syringaldehyde), demonstrating the operation of the laccase-mediator system in algae for the first time. Thus, laccases from green algae may participate in the biotransformation of a wide spectrum of natural and xenobiotic compounds.     

Improving the decolorization for textile dyes of a metagenome-derived alkaline laccase by directed evolution

To obtain better performing laccases for textile dyes decolorization, random mutagenesis of Lac591, a metagenome-derived alkaline laccase, was carried out. After three rounds of error-prone PCR and high-throughput screening by assaying enzymatic activity toward the phenolic substrate 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (2,6-DMP), a mutant (Lac3T93) with remarkably improved enzymatic activity was obtained. Sequence analysis revealed that four amino acid substitutions (N40S, V55A, F62L, and E316V) were accumulated in the Lac3T93. Compared to the wild-type enzyme, the specific activity of Lac3T93 toward 2,6-DMP was increased to 4.8-fold (61.22 U/mg), and its optimal temperature and pH were changed to 60°C and 8.0 from 55°C and 7.5 of the wild-type enzyme, respectively. Furthermore, the degradation ability of Lac3T93 for textile dyes was investigated, and the new variant represented improved decolorization percentage for four industrial dyes with complex phenyl structure (Basic Blue 3, Methylene Blue, Bromophenol Blue, and Crystal Violet) and higher decolorization efficiency for Indigo Carmine than that of the parent enzyme. Furthermore, the decolorization percentage of Lac3T93 for five dyes in the absence of hydroxybenzotrizole (HBT) is clearly higher than those of the wild-type enzyme with 1 mM HBT, and HBT can further improve its decolorization ability.     

Cloning,expression, and characterization of a thermostable and pH-stable laccase from Klebsiella pneumoniae and its application to dye decolorization

A thermostable and pH-stable laccase from Klebsiella pneumoniae was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant laccase (rLac) achieved a specific activity of 7.12 U/mg after purification by Ni-affinity chromatography. Optimal enzyme activity was observed at pH 4.0 and 35 °C for 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid) (ABTS) oxidization and pH 8.0 and 70 °C for 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (2,6-DMP) oxidization. Thermostability and pH stability studies showed that the rLac was stable over the range of 30–70 °C and pH 5.0–9.0 using 2,6-DMP as substrate. Circular dichroism analysis suggested that the secondary structure of the rLac mainly consisted of α-helix that played a vital role in maintaining laccase activity and revealed the potential mechanisms for the changes in laccase activity under varying pHs (3.0–11.0) and temperatures (20–90 °C). Finally, the rLac could decolorize the tested dyes with high decolorization efficiency.     

Gene cloning, protein purification, and enzymatic properties of multicopper oxidase, from Klebsiella sp. 601

A gene encoding a putative multicopper oxidase (MCO) was cloned from the soil bacterium Klebsiella sp. 601 and its corresponding enzyme was overexpressed in an Escherichia coli strain. Klebsiella sp. 601 MCO is composed of 536 amino acids with a molecular mass of 58.2 kDa. Theoretical calculation gave a pI value of 6.11. The amino acid sequence of Klebsiella sp. 601 MCO is strongly homologous to that of E. coli CueO with a similarity of 90% and an identity of 78%. Unlike E. coli CueO, Klebsiella sp. 601 MCO contains an extra 20 amino acids close to its C-terminus. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by Ni-affinity chromatography. The purified enzyme was capable of using DMP (2,6-dimethoxyphenol), ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazolinesulfonic acid)), and SGZ (syringaldazine) as substrates with an optimal pH of 8.0 for DMP, 3.0 for ABTS, and 7.0 for SGZ. Klebsiella sp. 601 MCO was quite stable at pH 7.0 in which its activity was constant for 25 h without any significant change. Kinetic studies gave Km, kcat, and kcat//Km values of 0.49 mmol/L, 1.08 x 103 s-1, and 2.23 x 103 s-1.mmol/L-1, respectively, for DMP, 5.63 mmol/L, 6.64 x 103 s-1, and 1.18 x 103 s-1.mmol/L-1 for ABTS, and 0.023 mmol/L, 11 s-1, and 4.68 x 102 s-1.mmol/L-1 for SGZ.     

Effect of Nutritional Parameters on Laccase Production by the Culinary and Medicinal Mushroom, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Grifola frondosa</Emphasis>

Extracellular laccase in cultures of Grifola frondosa grown in liquid culture on a defined medium was first detectable in the early/middle stages of primary growth, and enzyme activity continued to increase even after fungal biomass production had peaked. Laccase production was significantly increased by supplementing cultures with 100–500 μM Cu over the basal level (1.6 μM Cu) and peak levels observed at 300 μM Cu were 7-fold higher than in unsupplemented controls. Decreased laccase activity similar to levels detected in unsupplemented controls, as well as an adverse effect on fungal growth, occurred with further supplementation up to and including 0.9 mM Cu, but higher enzyme titres (2- to 16-fold compared with controls) were induced in cultures supplemented with 1–2 mM Cu²⁺. SDS-PAGE combined with activity staining revealed the presence of a single protein band (M _r 70 kDa) exhibiting laccase activity in control culture fluids, whereas an additional distinct laccase protein band (M _r 45 kDa) was observed in cultures supplemented with 1–2 mM Cu. Increased levels of extracellular laccase activity, and both laccase isozymes, were also detected in cultures of G. frondosa supplemented with ferulic, vanillic, veratric and 4-hydroxybenzoic acids, and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde. Using 2,2′-azino-bis(ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) as substrate, the optimal temperature and pH values for laccase activity were 65°C and pH 2.2, respectively, and the enzyme was relatively heat stable. In solid-state cultures of G. frondosa grown under conditions adopted for industrial-scale mushroom production, extracellular laccase levels increased during the substrate colonization phase, peaked when the substrate was fully colonized, and then decreased sharply during fruit body development.     

Effect of nutritional parameters on laccase production by the culinary and medicinal mushroom, Grifola frondosa

Summary Extracellular laccase in cultures of Grifola frondosa grown in liquid culture on a defined medium was first detectable in the early/middle stages of primary growth, and enzyme activity continued to increase even after fungal biomass production had peaked. Laccase production was significantly increased by supplementing cultures with 100–500 (M Cu over the basal level (1.6 mM Cu) and peak levels observed at 300 mM Cu were ∼ ∼7-fold higher than in unsupplemented controls. Decreased laccase activity similar to levels detected in unsupplemented controls, as well as an adverse effect on fungal growth, occurred with further supplementation up to and including 0.9 mM Cu, but higher enzyme titres (2- to 16-fold compared with controls) were induced in cultures supplemented with 1–2 mM Cu²⁺. SDS-PAGE combined with activity staining revealed the presence of a single protein band (M _r ∼ ∼70 kDa) exhibiting laccase activity in control culture fluids, whereas an additional distinct second laccase protein band (M _r␣∼ ∼45 kDa) was observed in cultures supplemented with 1–2 mM Cu. Increased levels of extracellular laccase activity, and both laccase isozymes, were also detected in cultures of G. frondosa supplemented with ferulic, vanillic, veratric and 4-hydroxybenzoic acids, and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde. The optimal temperature and pH values for laccase activity were 65 °C and pH 2.2 (using 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) {ABTS} as substrate), respectively, and the enzyme was relatively heat stable. In solid-state cultures of G. frondosa grown under conditions adopted for industrial-scale mushroom production, extracellular laccase levels increased during the substrate colonization phase, peaked when the substrate was fully colonized, and then decreased sharply during fruit body development.     

Overexpression of a Novel Thermostable and Chloride-Tolerant Laccase from Thermus thermophilus SG0.5JP17-16 in Pichia pastoris and Its Application in Synthetic Dye Decolorization

Laccases have been used for the decolorization and detoxification of synthetic dyes due to their ability to oxidize a wide variety of dyes with water as the sole byproduct. A putative laccase gene (LacTT) from Thermus thermophilus SG0.5JP17-16 was screened using the genome mining approach, and it was highly expressed in Pichia pastoris, yielding a high laccase activity of 6130 U/L in a 10-L fermentor. The LacTT open reading frame encoded a protein of 466 amino acid residues with four putative Cu-binding regions. The optimal pH of the recombinant LacTT was 4.5, 6.0, 7.5 and 8.0 with 2,2''-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), syringaldazine (SGZ), guaiacol, and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (2,6-DMP) as the substrate, respectively. The optimal temperature of LacTT was 90°C with guaiacol as the substrate. LacTT was highly stable at pH 4.0–11.0 and thermostable at 40°C–90°C, confirming that it is a pH-stable and thermostable laccase. Furthermore, LacTT also exhibited high tolerance to halides such as NaCl, NaBr and NaF, and decolorized 100%, 94%, 94% and 73% of Congo Red, Reactive Black B and Reactive Black WNN, and Remazol Brilliant Blue R, respectively. Interestingly, addition of high concentration of NaCl increased the RBBR decolorization efficiency of LacTT. These results suggest that LacTT is a good candidate for industrial applications such as dyestuff processing and degradation of dyes in textile wastewaters.     

Purification and characterization of laccase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pycnoporus sanguineus</Emphasis> and decolorization of an anthraquinone dye by the enzyme

The white rot fungus Pycnoporus sanguineus produced high amount of laccase in the basal liquid medium without induction. Laccase was purified using ultrafiltration, anion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration. The molecular weight of the purified laccase was estimated as 61.4 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme oxidized typical substrates of laccases including 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate), 2,6-dimethoxyphenol, and syringaldazine. The optimum pH and temperature for the purified laccase were 3.0 and 65°C, respectively. The enzyme was stable up to 40°C, and high laccase activity was maintained at pH 2.0–5.0. Sodium azide, l-cysteine, and dithiothreitol strongly inhibited the laccase activity. The purified enzyme efficiently decolorized Remazol Brilliant Blue R in the absence of added redox mediators. The high production of P. sanguineus laccase as well as its decolorization ability demonstrated its potential applications in dye decolorization.     

A surfactant tolerant laccase of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Meripilus giganteus</Emphasis>

A laccase (Lcc1) from the white-rot fungus Meripilus giganteus was purified with superior yields of 34% and 90% by conventional chromatography or by foam separation, respectively. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) yielded a molecular mass of 55 kDa. The enzyme possessed an isoelectric point of 3.1 and was able to oxidize the common laccase substrate 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) at a pH of 2.0, whereas the enzyme was still able to oxidize ABTS and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (DMP) at pH 6.0. Lcc1 exhibited low K _m values of 8 μM (ABTS) and 80 μM (DMP) and remarkable catalytic efficiency towards the non-phenolic substrate ABTS of 37,437 k _cat/k _m (s⁻¹ mM⁻¹). The laccase showed a high stability towards high concentrations of various metal ions, EDTA and surfactants indicating a considerable biotechnological potential. Furthermore, Lcc1 exhibited an increased activity as well as a striking boost of stability in the presence of surfactants. Degenerated primers were deduced from peptide fragments. The complete coding sequence of lcc1 was determined to 1,551 bp and confirmed via amplification of the 2,214 bp genomic sequence which included 12 introns. The deduced 516 amino acid (aa) sequence of the lcc1 gene shared 82% identity and 90% similarity with a laccase from Rigidoporus microporus. The sequence data may aid theoretical studies and enzyme engineering efforts to create laccases with an improved stability towards metal ions and bipolar compounds.     

Enhanced production of recombinant galactose oxidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium graminearum</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. coli</Emphasis>

The gene gaoA encoding the copper-dependent enzyme galactose oxidase (GAO) from Fusarium graminearum PH-1 was cloned and successfully overexpressed in E. coli. Culture conditions for cultivations in shaken flasks were optimized, and optimal conditions were found to be double-strength LB medium, 0.5% lactose as inducer, and induction at the reduced temperature of 25°C. When using these cultivation conditions ~24 mg of active GAO could be produced in shaken flasks per litre medium. Addition of copper to the fermentation medium decreased the enzyme production significantly. The His-tagged recombinant enzyme could be purified conveniently with a single affinity chromatography step. The purified enzyme showed a single band on SDS–PAGE with an apparent molecular mass of 66 kDa and had kinetic properties similar to those of the fungal wild-type enzyme.     

Thermoactive β-N-acetylhexosaminidase production by a soil isolate of Penicillium monoverticillium CFR 2 under solid state fermentation: parameter optimization and application for N-acetyl chitooligosaccharides preparation from chitin

Two fungal strains were evaluated for β-N-acetylhexosaminidase production by solid state fermentation using different agro-industrial residues such as commercial wheat bran (CWB) and shrimp shell chitin waste (SSCW), of which Penicillium monoverticillium CFR 2 a local soil isolate showed significantly (P ≤ 0.001) higher β-N-acetylhexosaminidase activity on CWB medium as compared with the activity of Fusarium oxysporum CFR 8. Fermentation parameters such as incubation temperature, incubation time, initial moisture content and inoculum concentration were optimized by statistically designed experiments, using 3**(4–1) fractional factorial design of Response Surface Methodology. The high R² (0.9512) observed during validation experiment showed the usefulness of the model. Highest level of enzyme activity (311.84 U/g IDS) was predicted at 75% (w/w) initial moisture content, 26 °C incubation temperature, 168 h incubation time and initial inoculum, at the highest concentration tested (2.95 ml spore suspension/5 g substrate). Statistical optimization yielded a 4.5 fold increase in β-N-acetylhexosaminidase activity. The crude β-N-acetylhexosaminidase showed optimum temperature of 57 ± 1 °C and pH of 3.6 and retained 50% activity after 1 h of incubation at 57 ± 1 °C. SDS–PAGE zymogram revealed crude enzyme was a monomer with an apparent molecular weight ~110 kDa. The crude enzyme formed 6.81 ± 0.03 mM/l of N-acetyl chitooligosaccharides from colloidal chitin in 24 h of incubation. HPLC analysis revealed hydrolysate contained 37.57% N-acetyl chitotriose and 62.43% N-acetyl chitohexose, indicating its potential for specific N-acetyl chitooligosaccharides production.     

Purification and characterization of laccase from basidiomycete Fomitella fraxinea

A laccase was isolated from the culture filtrate of basidiomycete Fomitella fraxinea. The enzyme was purified to electrophoretical homogeneity using ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion-exchange chromatography, and gel-filtration chromatography. The enzyme was identified a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 47 kDa sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and gel-filtration chromatography, and had an isoelectric point of 3.8. The N-terminal amino acid sequence for the enzyme was ATXSNXKTLAAD, which had a very low similarity to the sequences previously reported for laccases from other basidiomycetes. The optimum and temperature for 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline- 6-sulfonate) (ABTS) were 3.0 and 70 degrees C, respectively. The enzyme also showed a much higher level of specific activity for ABTS and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (DMP), where the values of the enzyme for ABTS and 2,6-DMP were 270 and 426 microM, respectively, and the Vmax values were 876 and 433.3 microM/min, respectively. The laccase activity was completely inhibited by L-cysteine, dithiothreitol (DTT), and sodium azide, significantly inhibited by Ni+, Mn+ and Ba+2, and slightly stimulated by K+ and Ca+2.     

Isolation and characterization of Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from the common octopus (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Octopus vulgaris </Emphasis>Cuvier, 1797)

The NAD⁺ dependent cytosolic Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH, EC 1.2.1.12) from arms of Octopus vulgaris, Cuvier, 1787, (Octopoda, Cephalopoda) was purified to homogeneity and its kinetic properties investigated. The purification method consisted of ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by Blue Sepharose CL-6B chromatography resulting in a 26-fold increase in specific activity and a final yield of approximately 16%. The apparent molecular weight of the purified native enzyme was 153 kDa. The protein is an homotetramer, composed of identical subunits with an apparent molecular weight of approximately 36 kDa. The Michaelis constants K_m for both NAD⁺ and d-G3P were 66 μM and 320 μM, respectively. The maximal velocity V_max of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 21.8 U/mg. Only one GAPDH isoform (pI 6.6) was obtained by isoelectrofocusing in polyacrylamide slab gels holding ampholyte generated pH gradients. Under the conditions of assay, the optimum activity occurs at pH 7.0 and at temperature of 35°C. Polyclonal antibodies raised in rabbits against the purified GAPDH immunostained a single 36 kDa GAPDH band on crude extract protein preparations blotted onto nitrocellulose.     

Biochemical characterization of laccase from hairy root culture of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica juncea</Emphasis> L. and role of redox mediators to enhance its potential for the decolorization of textile dyes

In vitro transgenic hairy root cultures provide a rapid system for physiological, biochemical studies and screening of plants for their phytoremediation potential. The hairy root cultures of Brassica juncea L. showed 92% decolorization of Methyl orange within 4 days. Out of the different redox mediators that were used to achieve enhanced decolorization, 2, 2′-Azinobis, 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) was found to be the most efficient. Laccase activity of 4.5 U mg⁻¹ of protein was observed in hairy root cultures of Brassica juncea L., after the decolorization of Methyl orange. Intracellular laccase produced by B. juncea root cultures grown in MS basal medium was purified up to 2.0 fold with 6.62 U mg⁻¹ specific activity using anion-exchange chromatography. Molecular weight of the purified laccase was estimated to be 148 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified enzyme efficiently oxidized ABTS which was also required for oxidation of the other tested substrates. The pH and temperature optimum for laccase activity were 4.0 and 40°C, respectively. The purified enzyme was stable up to 50°C and was stable in the pH range of 4.0–6.0. Laccase activity was strongly inhibited by sodium azide, EDTA, dithiothreitol and l-cysteine. The purified enzyme decolorized various textile dyes in the presence of ABTS as an efficient redox mediator. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the enzymatic process involved in phytoremediation of textile dyes by using hairy roots.     

A cloned Bacillus halodurans multicopper oxidase exhibiting alkaline laccase activity

The gene product of open reading frame bh2082 from Bacillus halodurans C-125 was identified as a multicopper oxidase with potential laccase activity. A homologue of this gene, lbh1, was obtained from a B. halodurans isolate from our culture collection. The encoded gene product was expressed in Escherichia coli and showed laccase-like activity, oxidising 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenz-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), 2,6-dimethoxyphenol and syringaldazine (SGZ). The pH optimum of Lbh1 with SGZ is 7.5–8 (at 45°C) and the laccase activity is stimulated rather than inhibited by chloride. These unusual properties make Lbh1 an interesting biocatalyst in applications for which classical laccases are unsuited, such as biobleaching of kraft pulp for paper production.