Enzymatic Textile Dyes Decolorization by In vitro and In silico Studies

Laccase, a multicopper oxidoreductase (EC: 1.10.3.2), is a widely used enzyme in bioremediation of textile dye effluents. Fungal Laccase is preferably used as a remediating agent in the treatment and transformation of toxic organic pollutants. In this study, crude laccase from a basidiomycetes fungus, Phanerochaete sordida, was able to decolorize azo, antroquinone and indigoid dyes. In addition, interactions between dyes and enzyme were analysed using molecular docking studies.

In this work, a white rot basidiomycete's fungus, Phanerochaete sordida, was selected from forest soil isolates of Eastern Ghats, and Tirumala and lignolytic enzymes production was assayed after 7 days of incubation. The crude enzyme was checked for decolourisation of various synthetic textile dyes (Vat Brown, Acid Blue, Indigo, Reactive Blue and Reactive Black). Molecular docking studies were done using Autodock-4.2 to understand the interactions between dyes and enzymes.

Highest decolourisation efficiency was achieved with the crude enzyme in case of vat brown whereas the lowest decolourisation efficiency was achieved in Reactive blue decolourisation. Similar results were observed in their binding affinity with lignin peroxidase of Phanerochaete chrysosporium through molecular docking approach.

Thus, experimental results and subsequent in silico validation involving an advanced remediation approach would be useful to reduce time and cost in other similar experiments.