Novel milk-clotting enzyme produced by Coprinus lagopides basidial mushroom

Submerged cultured higher basidiomycetes were screened for milk-clotting activity. The native liquid of Coprinus lagopides demonstrated high milk-clotting activity, while having relatively low general proteolytic activity. Optimization of growth media composition and ultrafiltration of the native liquid allows increasing the ratio of milk-clotting and proteolytic activities. The Enzyme was purified and characterized.