# Hirschioporus abietinus Laccase: Cloning, Heterologous Expression, Characterization and Solvent Tolerance Evaluation

## TL;DR

This paper reports the cloning and expression of a laccase from Hirschioporus abietinus, which shows strong activity and solvent tolerance, making it suitable for biosensor applications.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the successful heterologous expression and characterization of Lac2 with high redox potential and solvent tolerance.

## Key findings

- Lac2 was efficiently produced in Pichia pastoris with optimized cultivation conditions.
- The laccase exhibited strong tolerance to metal ions and organic solvents.
- Lac2's properties make it suitable for small-scale production and biosensor systems.

## Abstract

Laccases are versatile biocatalysts with broad industrial relevance. Their heterologous expression enables efficient production, purification, and functional optimization. The white-rot fungus Hirschioporus abietinus produces an effective extracellular laccase (Lac2), inspiring the identification and cloning of its encoding gene. To enable high and stable enzyme production, the gene was expressed in Pichia pastoris and the cultivation conditions for the selected variant were optimized to enhance the yield of recombinant laccase. The Lac2 was then purified and its biochemical properties characterized. The high-redox potential laccase Lac2 exhibited strong tolerance to common metal ions and maintained catalytic activity in the presence of a range of organic solvents. Overall, the results suggest that Lac2 possesses properties compatible with small-scale production and effective use in biosensor systems.