2Department of Physiology of Microorganisms, Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119899 Moscow, Russia; fax: (7-095) 939-3807; E-mail: vds@8.cellimm.bio.msu.ru
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received March 30, 2004; Revision received May 21, 2004
Two extracellular oxidases (laccases) were isolated from the extracellular fluid of the fungus Panus (Lentinus) tigrinus cultivated in low-nitrogen medium supplemented with birch sawdust. The enzymes were purified by successive chromatography on columns with TEAE-cellulose and DEAE-Toyopearl 650M. Both oxidases catalyze oxidation of pyrocatechol and ABTS. Moreover, oxidase 1 also catalyzes oxidation of guaiacol, o-phenylenediamine, and syringaldazine. The enzymes have identical pH (7.0) and temperature (60-65°C) optimums. Absorption spectra of the oxidases differ from the spectra of typical blue laccases and are similar to the spectrum of yellow oxidase.
KEY WORDS: lignin, biodegradation, oxidase, laccase, white rot fungi, Panus (Lentinus) tigrinus