Industrial Applications of Fungal Laccase: A Mini Review

Laccases have received much attention from researchers in recent decades due to their ability to oxidize lignin-related phenolic and non-phenolic compounds, as well as highly resistant environmental pollutants, making them very useful for their application in many biotechnological processes. Laccase is a member of the blue copper oxidase family and is involved in the ring cleavage of aromatic compounds, the degradation of polymers, and the crosslinking of monomers. It is widely found in bacteria, fungi and higher plants. It is widespread in white-rot fungi that degrade lignin and is found in ascomycetes, deuteromycetes, and basidiomycetes. Dimers and oligomers are reaction products obtained by the coupling of reactive radical intermediates and are also used in the synthesis of organic substances, where common substrates are amines and phenols. Laccase have been used more widely in the food, pulp and paper and textile industries in recent years. It has also recently been used as a biosensor, a biofuel cell, and a bioremediation agent to remove pesticides, herbicides, and some volatile from the soil. The present review provides an overview of biological functions of laccase, its mechanism of action, laccase mediator system, and various biotechnological applications of laccase obtained from fungi.