Comparison of Dehydrogenation Polymers by Commercial Enzymes, Laccase from Rhus vernicifera and Horseradish Peroxidase

Dehydrogenation polymers (DHPs) were prepared by laccase from Rhus vernicifera and horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The enzymatic ability of oxidation and polymerization was compared between these enzymes. Laccase showed higher enzyme activity against syringaldazine than ABTS, while HRP exhibited lower enzyme activity against syringaldazine than 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid). These enzymes had various enzyme activity against these substrates. DHPs from sinapyl alcohol (SA) were hardly produced by each enzyme, whereas DHPs from coniferyl alcohol (CA) were produced by both enzymes. The laccase oxidized sinapyl alcohol faster than coniferyl alcohol. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis demonstrated that acetylated-DHP (Ac-DHP) from CA by laccase contained β-5 and β-β linkages, but not β-O-4 linkage. On the other hand, Ac-DHP from CA by HRP carried all these three linkages.