Utilizing agro-industrial waste for the production of laccase enzyme by Scytalidium lignicola pesante under solid state fermentation

Present study involved use of fungus Scytalidium lignicola Pesante for the production of laccase enzyme by solid state fermentation. Different lignocellulosic wastes (lime peel, sugarcane bagasse, potato peel, wheat straw, wheat bran, samo seeds bran,soybean husk and rice straw) were screened for the production of laccase. Potato peels proved to be the best substrate for laccase production by solid state fermentation based on enzyme assay performed using ABTS as enzyme substrate. Culture parameters like moisture content (35%, 50%, and 75%), incubation period, inoculum size, temperature, effect of Inhibitors, effect of inducers, effect of MgSO and CuSO were 4 4 optimized by conventional “one factor at a time” methodology. Two fold increase was noticed in laccase activity under optimized conditions. Enzyme purification was done by Ammonium sulphate precipitation (80%), Dialysis, DEAE Cellulose Ion-Exchange Chromatography. Further Gel filtration and SDS PAGE were carried out to estimate molecular weight of enzyme. It was roughly found to be around 65kDa.