Improvement of Laccase Production by Co3Bag1. Enhancing the Bio-Catalytic Performance of the Native Thermophilic LacA via Immobilization in Copper Alginate Gel Beads.

A 32-fold increase in laccase activity production by the thermophilic biomass-degrading fungus Co3Bag1 was achieved when the microorganism was grown on a modified medium containing fructose, sodium nitrate, and copper. A 70 kDa laccase (LacA), produced under the above conditions, was purified, immobilized in copper alginate gel beads, and characterized. LacA, both free and immobilized enzymes, exhibited optimal activity at pH 3.0, at a temperature of 65 and 70 °C, respectively, although both displayed 70% of activity from 40 to 70 °C. Free and immobilized enzymes retained at least 80% of relative activity in the pH range from 3 to 4.6. Immobilized LacA manifested a 2.3-fold higher thermal stability than the free form of the enzyme at 60 and 70 °C. Immobilized LacA retained 95% initial activity for six consecutive reuse cycles at 60 °C, and also retained 86% of initial activity after 12 days of storage at 4 °C. Based on the biochemical features, thermophilic LacA may be an efficient enzyme for dye decolorization and other industrial applications at high temperatures or acidic conditions. This work represents the first report about the immobilization and biochemical characterization of a thermophilic laccase from a member of the genus