Investigation of laccase production ability of newly isolated Trametes versicolor

In this study, laccase production ability of the newly isolated Trametes versicolor strain was investigated during three different fermentation process. In all three fermentation processes, the fungus was able to produce the laccase enzyme. It has been observed that copper is an important inducer for laccase production in all fermentation processes. During the solid phase fermentation process, 10.70 U/mL laccase activity was detected on the 20th day in the medium without copper, while this value was 13.21 U/mL on the same day in the 10 mM copper-containing medium. In the medium containing 0.5 mM ABTS, 5.60 U/mL laccase activity was obtained on 20th day, while the laccase activity reached to 27.30 U/mL in 0.5 mM ABTS + 10 mM copper medium. On the 20th day, 5.53 U/mL laccase activity was detected in the medium containing 10 mM xylidine, while 22.59 U/mL enzyme activity was determined in the medium containing 10 mM xylidine + 10 mM copper. During the liquid batch fermentation process, in the medium containing 1mM copper, laccase activity was significantly induced and laccase activities reached 2.25, 19.83 and 24.57 U/mL on the 3rd, 6th and 9th days, respectively. ABTS and xylidine induce laccase production of this strain at a much lower level than copper. On the 6th day, 10.50 U/mL laccase activity was detected in the medium containing 0.05 mM ABTS + 1 mM copper, while 10.69 U/mL enzyme activity was determined in the medium containing 1 mM xylidine + 1 mM copper. The repeated batch process also significantly induced laccase production. While low level of enzyme activities in copper-free medium detected, laccase activities were induced in the copper-containing medium and for example, the activity reached from 0.66 U/mL to 9.87 U/mL in the 6th use of pellets. In the medium containing 1 mM xylidine + 1 mM copper, laccase production was strongly induced. Activity staining after natural polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed active laccase bands. The results showed that this strain is a good laccase producer and the laccase production yield varies depending on the fermentation process, production time and inducer used.