Bacterial laccases: promising biological green tools for industrial applications

• Published in: Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS Vol. 75; no. 19; pp. 3569 - 3592
• Main Authors: Guan, Zheng-Bing, Luo, Quan, Wang, Hao-Ran, Chen, Yu, Liao, Xiang-Ru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-10-2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Bacteria; Bacteria - enzymology; Bacteria - genetics; Biochemistry; Bioengineering - methods; Bioengineering - trends; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Biotechnology; Cell Biology; Environmental Microbiology; Enzymes; Genetic engineering; Green Chemistry Technology - methods; Green Chemistry Technology - trends; Humans; Immobilization; Industrial applications; Industry - methods; Industry - trends; Inventions - trends; Laccase; Laccase - genetics; Laccase - physiology; Life Sciences; Molecular chains; Oxygen; Phenolic compounds; Phenols; Review; Substrate specificity; Substrates; Thermal stability; Degradation; Engineering; Decolorization; Green catalyst; Immobilization; Mediator; Delignification; Laccase
• ISSN: 1420-682X; 1420-9071
• DOI: 10.1007/s00018-018-2883-z

Multicopper oxidases (MCOs) are a pervasive family of enzymes that oxidize a wide range of phenolic and nonphenolic aromatic substrates, concomitantly with the reduction of dioxygen to water. MCOs are usually divided into two functional classes: metalloxidases and laccases. Given their broad substrate specificity and eco-friendliness (molecular oxygen from air as is used as the final electron acceptor and they only release water as byproduct), laccases are regarded as promising biological green tools for an array of applications. Among these laccases, those of bacterial origin have attracted research attention because of their notable advantages, including broad substrate spectrum, wide pH range, high thermostability, and tolerance to alkaline environments. This review aims to summarize the significant research efforts on the properties, mechanisms and structures, laccase-mediator systems, genetic engineering, immobilization, and biotechnological applications of the bacteria-source laccases and laccase-like enzymes, which principally include
Bacillus
laccases, actinomycetic laccases and some other species of bacterial laccases. In addition, these enzymes may offer tremendous potential for environmental and industrial applications.