A laccase-producing white-rot fungi strain Ganoderma sp.En3 was newly isolated from the forest of Tzuchin Mountain in China. Ganoderma sp.En3 had a strong ability of decolorizing four synthetic dyes, two simulated dye bath effluents and the real textile dye effluent. Induction in the activity of laccase during the decolorization process indicated that laccase played an important role in the efficient decolorization of different dyes by this fungus. Phytotoxicity study with respect to Triticum aestivum and Oryza sativa demonstrated that Ganoderma sp.En3 was able to detoxify four synthetic dyes, two simulated dye effluents and the real textile dye effluent. The laccase gene lac-En3-1 and its corresponding full-length cDNA were then cloned and characterized from Ganoderma sp.En3. The deduced protein sequence of LAC-En3-1 contained four copper-binding conserved domains of typical laccase protein. The functionality of lac-En3-1 gene encoding active laccase was verified by expressing this gene in the yeast Pichia pastoris successfully. The recombinant laccase produced by the yeast transformant could decolorize the synthetic dyes, simulated dye effluents and the real textile dye effluent. The ability of decolorizing different dyes was positively related to the laccase activity. In addition, the 5'-flanking sequence upstream of the start codon ATG in lac-En3-1 gene was obtained. Many putative cis-acting responsive elements were predicted in the promoter region of lac-En3-1. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.