Laccase production and pellet morphology of Coprinopsis cinerea transformants in liquid shake flask cultures

Laccase production and pellet formation of transformants of Coprinopsis cinerea strain FA2222 of C. cinerea laccase gene lcc1 subcloned behind the gpdII-promoter from Agaricus bisporus were compared with a control transformant carrying no extra laccase gene. At the optimum growth temperature of 37 degrees C, maximal laccase yields of 2.9 U/ml were obtained by the best lcc1 transformant pYSK7-26 in liquid shake flask cultures. Reduction in temperature to 25 degrees C increased laccase yields up to 9.2 U/ml. The control transformant had no laccase activities at 37 degrees C but native activity at 25 degrees C (3.5 U/ml). Changing the temperature had severe effects on the morphology of the mycelial pellets formed during cultivation, but links of distinct pellet morphologies to native or recombinant laccase production could not be established. Automated image analysis was used to characterise pellet formation and morphological parameters (pellet area, diameter, convexity and mycelial structure). Cross sections of selected pellets showed that they differentiated in an outer rind and an inner medulla of loosened hyphae. Pellets at 25 degrees C had a small and dense outer zone and adopted with time a smooth surface. Pellets at 37 degrees C had a broader outer zone and a fringy surface due to generation of more and larger protuberances in the rind that when released can serve for production of further pellets.