Laccases: The biocatalyst with industrial and biotechnological applications

Abstract

Laccases (Benzenediol: oxygen oxidoreductase, E.C. 1.10.3.2) are enzymes belonging to the group of polyphenol oxidases which are monomeric, dimeric or tetrameric glycoproteins with copper atoms per monomer located at the catalytic site. It is widely distributed in wood rotting fungi and which is also found in a variety of molds, insects as well as some plants and bacteria. Laccases have received much attention from researchers in the last decades due to their ability to oxidize both phenolic and non phenolic lignin related compounds as well as highly recalcitrant environmental pollutants, which makes them very useful for their application to several biotechnological processes. As on oxidase, laccase is used in many agricultural, industrial and medicinal applications. Thus, laccases are increasingly finding applications in biotechnology in the fields of environment-friendly synthesis of fine chemicals and for the gentle derviatization of biologically active compounds e.g. antibiotics, amino acids, antioxidants and cytostatics. Oligomerization and polymerization reactions can lead to new homo- or heteropolymers and biomaterials. These may be useful in wide range of applications including the production of polymers with antioxidative properties, the co-polymerizing of lignin components with low molecular mass compounds, the coating of cellulosic cotton fibers or wool, ingredients of cosmetics. Laccase nano particles have also been used for the elimination of micropollutants from waste water in bioreactors.