Studies of the production and characterization of laccase activity in the basidiomycete Coriolopsis gallica, an efficient decolorizer of alkaline effluents

The basidiomycete Coriolopsis gallica decolorizes alkaline paper effluents efficiently. In this work, we found that C. gallica produces laccase during this decolorization process. This enzymatic activity was produced in all m edia studied; however, the highest enzymatic activity was obtained in a med ium containing paper effluent, where laccase was detected on the 2nd day of the experiment. The laccase activity of C. gallic a was purified and chara cterized. The amino-terminal sequence of this protein showed the highest si milarity with the laccase I of the basidiomycete PM1 and with Coriolus hirs utus laccase.