Methods of producing lignin peroxidase and its use in skin and hair lightening

A method of producing a lignin peroxidase comprising:

• (a) culturing in a fermentor Phanerochaete chrysosporium fungus on a porous matrix in a stirred and aerated culture medium comprising glycerol and veratryl alcohol for a predetermined time period of 3-10 days, wherein said aerated culture is obtained by subjecting said culture medium to an aeration rate in the range of 0.1-1 liter of air per liter of culture medium per minute;
• (b) following said predetermined time period extracting an aqueous extract from said Phanerochaete chrysosporium fungus, said aqueous extract comprising lignin peroxidase enzymatic activity of isoenzyme H1 and/or isoenzyme H2, wherein said enzymatic activity is capable of oxidizing 500-2000 μmol veratryl alcohol per minute per liter of said culture medium, and wherein when said extracting is performed following 7 days of culturing then said enzymatic activity is capable of oxidizing 1600 μmol veratryl alcohol per minute per liter of said culture medium;
• thereby producing the lignin peroxidase.

An aqueous extract of Phanerochaete chrysosporium fungus exhibiting lignin peroxidase enzymatic activity in the range of 500-2000 units per liter.