Laccases produced by lichens of the order Peltigerales.

‘Large’ and ‘small’ fractions of laccase were found in the thalli of lichens Solorina crocea and Peltigera aphthosa. In both lichens, ‘large’, possibly dimeric, laccases were determined as 175 and 165 kDa (based on the gel filtration data), and ‘small’ ones were 76 and 97 kDa (according to sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis data), respectively. By their substrate specificity, pH optima, and thermostability, they were typical laccases. The fractions of ‘small’ laccases of 45 kDa from S. crocea and 55 kDa from P. aphthosa consisted of two enzymes.