ABSTRACT
Biodegradation and bioconversion of lignin are crucial for lignocellulosic waste detoxification as well as obtaining many value-added products of industrial importance under the biorefinery approach. Ligninolytic enzymes involve laccase and heme-peroxidases (lignin, manganese and versatile). Due to their broad substrate range and oxidative properties, ligninolytic enzymes find many applications in industries ranging from food, textile, cosmetic, beer stabilization and environmental biodegradability sectors. However, despite their high potential, large-scale industrial applications of lignin-degrading enzymes are still limited due to technical limitations in their production and catalysis. To better understand the industrial applicability of lignin-degrading enzymes, it is imperative to understand their properties, production technologies and mechanisms of action as well as recent developments in their industrial applications. Therefore, this chapter revolves around the concepts, current developments and prospects of lignin-degrading enzymes, given their large-scale application potential in different industrial sectors.
