Rfh. Dekker et Am. Barbosa, The effects of aeration and veratryl alcohol on the production of two laccases by the ascomycete Botryosphaeria sp., ENZYME MICR, 28(1), 2001, pp. 81-88
The ascomycete, Botryosphaeria sp, produced two extracellular constitutive
laccases (PPO-I and PPO-II) active toward the substrates: 2, 2(I)-azino-bis
(3-ethyl-benzthiazoline-6-su acid) [ABTS], and 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (DMP), r
espectively. The production of both laccases increased when the fungal isol
ate was grown in the presence of veratryl alcohol, and resulted in optimal
laccase production (100-and 25- fold, respectively) at 40 mM. The effect of
aeration on growth and laccase production was studied in baffled flasks, a
nd showed that aeration of the cultures increased the production of both en
zymes 4-5 fold in the presence of veratryl alcohol. Both laccases were susc
eptible to inhibition by azide, acetate and chloride anions. Veratryl alcoh
ol inhibited the laccase-catalyzed polymerization of DMP. Growing cultures
of Botryosphaeria sp. produced an exopolysaccharide of the beta -glucan typ
e whose synthesis was depressed when grown in the presence of veratryl alco
hol. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.