A chloride tolerant laccase from the plant pathogen ascomycete Botrytis aclada expressed at high levels in Pichia pastoris

► Cloning of a laccase gene from the plant pathogen ascomycete Botrytis aclada. ► Highly efficient heterologous expression of B. aclada laccase in Pichia pastoris. ► Characterization of the enzyme reveals unusual properties like an extremely low pI. ► The KM values for phenolic substrates are extremely low. ► B. aclada laccase is highly chloride tolerant.