Fungal laccases as biocatalysts for wide range applications

Abstract

Fungal laccases are multicopper oxidases with high catalytic versatility and low catalytic requirements (only O2 of the air is required for activation). Their high redox potential, especially of certain basidiomycete laccases, significantly increases their oxidation capacity compared to bacterial laccases. These characteristics together provide these enzymes with great potential for applications as biocatalysts in a range of synthetic or degrading reactions. We review here some of the main properties and biotechnological applications of fungal laccases, underlining their overexpression limitations for industrial scale application. We focus on the use of laccases as biocatalysts for organic synthesis, with special emphasis on polymer synthesis.