Copper improves the production of laccase by the white-rot fungus Pleurotus pulmonarius in solid state fermentation

Pleurotus pulmonarius (Fr) Quelet, produced laccase as the main ligninolytic enzyme when cultivated on solid-state cultures using corn cob as substrate. The addition of copper greatly increased the production of enzyme. The addition of 25.0 mM CuSO4 increased the level of laccase from 270 to 1,420 U.L-1 and the fungus showed high resistance to copper under the conditions used in this work.