title: Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel metagenome-derived multicopper oxidase with alkaline laccase activity and highly soluble expression.
abstract: Lac591, a gene encoding a novel multicopper oxidase with laccase activity, was identified through activity-based functional screening of a metagenomic library from mangrove soil. Sequence analysis revealed that lac591 encodes a protein of 500 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 57.4 kDa. Lac591 was overexpressed heterologously as soluble active enzyme in Escherichia coli and purified, giving rise to 380 mg of purified enzyme from 1 l induced culture, which is the highest expression report for bacterial laccase genes so far. Furthermore, the recombinant enzyme demonstrated activity toward classical laccase substrates syringaldazine (SGZ), guaiacol, and 2, 6-dimethoxyphenol (2, 6-DMP). The purified Lac591 exhibited maximal activity at 55 degrees C and pH 7.5 with guaiacol as substrate and was found to be stable in the pH range of 7.0-10.0. The substrate specificity on different substrates was studied with the purified enzyme, and the optimal substrates were in the order of 2, 6-DMP > catechol > alpha-naphthol > guaiacol > SGZ > 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid). The alkaline activity and highly soluble expression of Lac591 make it a good candidate of laccases in industrial applications for which classical laccases are unsuitable, such as biobleaching of paper pulp and dyestuffs processing.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Mao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wei Qu
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Yu Huan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004795:Enzyme Stability; D015870:Gene Expression; D007700:Kinetics; D042845:Laccase / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054892:Metagenome; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012995:Solubility; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D042845:Laccase; C024748:copper oxidase