| abstract |
This invention relates to production of a ligninolytic oxidative enzyme, laccase, by recombinant DNA technology in suitable hosts. For that purpose the laccase gene is isolated from a suitable donor organism, the gene is transformed to a suitable host, the recombinant organism obtained is cultivated in conditions allowing expression of laccase and the laccase so produced is isolated. Laccase can be used to improve for instance the pulping process due to the ability of the enzyme to degrade and modify lignin. A suitable donor organism for the invention is Phlebia. A preferable host for laccase expression for the purposes of the invention is the species Trichoderma. According to the invention also enzyme preparates can be produced by Trichoderma which besides laccase include also other enzymes useful in for instance pulp and paper processing. |