Degradation and detoxification of azo dyes with recombinant ligninolytic enzymes from Aspergillus sp. with secretory overexpression in Pichia pastoris

Ligninolytic enzymes, including laccase (Lac), manganese peroxidase (MnP) and lignin peroxidase (LiP), have attracted much attention in the degradation of contaminants. Genes of Lac (1827 bp), MnP (1134 bp) and LiP (1119 bp) were cloned from Aspergillus sp. TS-A, and the recombinant Lac (69 kDa), MnP (45 kDa) and LiP (35 kDa) were secretory expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115, with enzyme activities of 34, 135.12 and 103.13 U l(−1), respectively. Dyes of different structures were treated via the recombinant ligninolytic enzymes under the optimal degradation conditions, and the result showed that the decolourization rate of Lac on Congo red (CR) in 5 s was 45.5%. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis and toxicity tests further proved that the ligninolytic enzymes could destroy the dyes, both those with one or more azo bonds, and the degradation products were non-toxic. Moreover, the combined ligninolytic enzymes could degrade CR more completely compared with the individual enzyme. Remarkably, besides azo dyes, ligninolytic enzymes could also degrade triphenylmethane and anthracene dyes. This suggests that ligninolytic enzymes from Aspergillus sp. TS-A have the potential for application in the treatment of contaminants.