OPTIMIZATION OF CULTURAL AND NUTRITIONAL PARAMETERS FOR ENHANCED PRODUCTION OF EXTRACELLULAR LACCASE FROM KALMUSIA SP RS07

Laccases (benzenediol: oxygenoxidoreductases, EC 1.10.3.2). Laccases are effective biocatalysts for various biotechnological applications. Laccase production by fungal strain (RS07) isolated from litter soil has been investigated. The fungus developed grayish white cottony mass on potato dextrose agar and revealed thread like mycelium under microscope. The media components and cultural conditions for enhanced production of laccase were optimized by using ?one variable at a time (OVAT)? in submerged fermentation. 2, 2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) was used as substrate for laccase. The cultural conditions viz., inoculum age of 5 days, incubation time of 7 days, at 25?C temperature with pH 10 were found to be optimum. Such high pH for laccase production is exceptional with Kalmusia sp.RS07. In nutritional parameter optimization, Glucose and Tryptone were found to be the best carbon and nitrogen sources respectively. Addition of Gallic acid (1mM) induced laccase production upto 1.55 fold increased. This optimization process results in 5 fold increas with respect to laccase production.