Screening, Production and Optimization of Extracellular Laccase Enzyme from Pleurotus Ostreatus

The enzyme laccase (p-diphenol: oxygenoxidoreductase; EC 1.10.3.2) is known to degrade many phenolic aromatic compounds. Many species of white rot fungi are well–known producers of the enzyme laccase. The first phase was the isolation of eight different strains of white rot fungi and screening them for laccase activity. Then highest laccase producing white rot fungal strains was identified. This strain Pleurotus ostreatus produced high amount of laccase compared to rest of the strains. In the second phase, the culture conditions for Pleurotus ostreatus were standardized to maximize the laccase production. The further steps involved the isolation, purification, and characterization of the enzyme laccase produced by Pleurotus ostreatus and in the final phase, the project deals with the textile industrial application of dyes and sludge treatment.