Pantnagar Journal of Research

Abstract

White-rot fungi are important microbial resources in industrial and environmental applications due to their ability to produce ligninolytic enzymes. Among these, laccases and extracellular blue copper oxidases are of particular interest because of their broad substrate specificity and lignin-degrading potential. In this study, two previously identified white-rot fungal isolates Trametes hirsuta (PSF7) and Schizophyllum commune (WRPF6), were evaluated for laccase production using guaiacol as substrate. Both isolates exhibited significant enzymatic activity indices of 1.3 ± 0.024 mm and 1.12 ± 0.022 mm, respectively. PSF7 showed the highest laccase activity, reaching 97.92 U/mL on the 12th day of incubation, followed by WRPF6 at 55.63 U/mL on the 15th day. Laccase oxidized guaiacol using molecular oxygen as the electron acceptor, highlighting the strong oxidative enzyme systems of these isolates. These findings suggest that PSF7 and WRPF6 are promising candidates for diverse industrial and biotechnological applications, including biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass, textile dye degradation, and food or pharmaceutical processing.