title: A novel extracellular multicopper oxidase from Phanerochaete chrysosporium with ferroxidase activity.
abstract: Lignin degradation by the white rot basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium involves various extracellular oxidative enzymes, including lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, and a peroxide-generating enzyme, glyoxal oxidase. Recent studies have suggested that laccases also may be produced by this fungus, but these conclusions have been controversial. We identified four sequences related to laccases and ferroxidases (Fet3) in a search of the publicly available P. chrysosporium database. One gene, designated mco1, has a typical eukaryotic secretion signal and is transcribed in defined media and in colonized wood. Structural analysis and multiple alignments identified residues common to laccase and Fet3 sequences. A recombinant MCO1 (rMCO1) protein expressed in Aspergillus nidulans had a molecular mass of 78 kDa, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the copper I-type center was confirmed by the UV-visible spectrum. rMCO1 oxidized various compounds, including 2,2'-azino(bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) and aromatic amines, although phenolic compounds were poor substrates. The best substrate was Fe2+, with a Km close to 2 micro M. Collectively, these results suggest that the P. chrysosporium genome does not encode a typical laccase but rather encodes a unique extracellular multicopper oxidase with strong ferroxidase activity.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Luis F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Larrondo
authors.forename: Loreto
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salas
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vicuña
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cullen
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002570:Ceruloplasmin / Q000378:metabolism*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020075:Phanerochaete / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D010088:Oxidoreductases; C024748:copper oxidase; D002570:Ceruloplasmin