Open AccessTowards Higher Laccase Activities Produced by Aquatic Ascomycetous Fungi Through Combination of Elicitors and an Alternative Substrate
Author(s) -
Junghanns C.,
Parra R.,
Keshavarz T.,
Schlosser D.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
engineering in life sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.547
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1618-2863
pISSN - 1618-0240
DOI - 10.1002/elsc.200800042
Subject(s) - laccase , substrate (aquarium) , phoma , chemistry , food science , botany , solid state fermentation , chitinase , biology , enzyme , fermentation , biochemistry , ecology
Abstract Laccases are versatile biocatalysts with various potential biotechnological applications, e.g. the treatment of industrial waste waters, the detoxification of environmental pollutants, or the functionalization of renewable polymeric materials. Central composition experimental design and response surface methodology was applied to optimize the production of laccase by the aquatic ascomycetous fungi, Phoma sp. UHH 5‐1‐03 and Coniothyrium sp. Kl‐S5, in shake flasks. A complex plant‐based medium (tomato juice) and two elicitors (Remazol Brilliant Blue R [RBBR] and CuSO 4 ) were tested in combination at three concentrations. The highest laccase activity of 6322 ± 403 U/L was achieved on day 9 for Phoma sp. Coniothyrium sp. exerted a maximum laccase activity of 3035 ± 111 U/L on day 4. Optimal conditions were 30 % tomato juice and 450 mg/L RBBR for both strains. A concentration of 250 μM CuSO 4 led to highest laccase activities in cultures of Coniothyrium sp., and 50 μM CuSO 4 was most effective for Phoma sp. A remarkable synergistic effect of tomato juice and RBBR on laccase production was observed for both strains. The upscaling potential of the optimal induction conditions was demonstrated in a lab‐scale fermenter which resulted in maximum activities of 11030 ± 177 U/L on day 6 for Phoma sp. and 11530 ± 161 U/L on day 9 for Coniothyrium sp. This study therefore presents a promising alternative for laccase production in ascomycetes based on a cheap complex substrate in combination with two elicitors.