New tools for exploring "old friends-microbial lipases"

Lipases for targeted industrial applications, focusing on the development of biotechnologically significant aspects: A comprehensive review of recent trends in protein engineering

Lipases are remarkable biocatalysts, adept at catalyzing the breakdown of diverse compounds into glycerol, fatty acids, and mono- and di-glycerides via hydrolysis. Beyond this, they facilitate esterification, transesterification, alcoholysis, acidolysis, and more, making them versatile in industrial applications. In industrial processes, lipases that exhibit high stability are favored as they can withstand harsh conditions. However, most native lipases are unable to endure adverse conditions, making them unsuitable for industrial use. Protein engineering proves to be a potent technology in the development of lipases that can function effectively under challenging conditions and fulfill criteria for various industrial processes. This review concentrated on new trends in protein engineering to enhance the diversity of lipase genes and employed in silico methods for predicting and comprehensively analyzing target mutations in lipases. Additionally, key molecular factors associated with industrial characteristics of lipases, including thermostability, solvent tolerance, catalytic activity, and substrate preference have been elucidated. The present review delved into how industrial traits can be enhanced through directed evolution (epPCR, gene shuffling), rational design (FRESCO, ASR), combined engineering strategies (i.e. CAST, ISM, and FRISM) as protein engineering methodologies in contexts of biodiesel production, food processing, and applications of detergent, pharmaceutics, and plastic degradation.

Agri-residues and agro-industrial waste substrates bioconversion by fungal cultures to biocatalyst lipase for green chemistry: A review

Huge amounts of agri-residues generated from food crops and processing are discarded in landfills, causing environmental problems. There is an urgent need to manage them with a green technological approach. Agri-residues are rich in nutrients such as proteins, lipids, sugars, minerals etc., and provide an opportunity for bioconversion into value-added products. Considering the importance of lipase as a biocatalyst for various industrial applications and its growing need for economic production, a detailed review of bioconversion of agri-residues and agro-industrial substrate for the production of lipase from fungal species from a technological perspective has been reported for the first time. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow diagram was used for the identification and selection of articles from ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases from 2010 to 2023 (July), and 108 peer-reviewed journal articles were included based on the scope of the study. The composition of agri-residues/agro-industrial wastes, fungal species, lipase production, industrial/green chemistry applications, and the economic impact of using agri-residues on lipase costs have been discussed. Bioconversion procedure, process developments, and technology gaps required to be addressed before commercialization have also been discussed. This process expects to decrease the environmental pollution from wastes, and low-cost lipase can help in the growth of the bioeconomy.

Bati Butter as a Potential Substrate for Lipase Production by Aspergillus terreus NRRL-255

This study evaluated bati butter (Ouratea parviflora) as a substrate for lipase production by solid-state fermentation (SSF) using Aspergillus terreus NRRL-255. A gas chromatograph with a flame ionization detector determined the bati butter fatty acid profile. Lipase production and spore count were optimized using a 3² experimental design and evaluated using the response surface methodology. Moreover, the crude enzyme extract was evaluated against different pH, temperature, and activating and inhibitors reagents. Regarding the fatty acids identified, long-chain accounted for 78.60% of the total lipids. The highest lipase production was obtained at 35 °C and 120 h of fermentation, yielding 216.9 U g^-1. Crude enzyme extract presented more significant activity at 37 °C and pH 9. β-Mercaptoethanol increased the enzyme activity (113.80%), while sodium dodecyl sulfate inactivated the enzyme. Therefore, bati butter proved to be a potential substrate capable of inducing lipase production by solid-state fermentation.

Optimization and characterization of alkaliphilic lipase from a novel Bacillus cereus NC7401 strain isolated from diesel fuel polluted soil

Five Bacillus cereus strains including B. cereus AVP12, B. cereus NC7401, B. cereus BDBCO1, B. cereus JF70 and B. specie JL47 isolated from the diesel fuel polluted soil adhered to the roots of Tagetes minuta were screened for lipase production with phenol red agar method. B. cereus NC7401 strain successfully expressing and secreting lipase with maximal lipolytic activity was subjected to a submerged fermentation process with five different carbon (starch, glucose, maltose, fructose, and lactose) and five different nitrogen (tryptone, ammonium nitrate, peptone, urea, yeast extract) sources to produce lipase enzyme. Maximum enzyme activity was found with starch (30.6 UmL-1), maltose (40 UmL-1), and tryptone (38.6 UmL-1), and the lipases produced using these sources were named lipase A, B, and C respectively. The total protein content of 8.56, 8.86, and 2.75 μg mL-1 were obtained from B. cereus NC7401 cultured using starch, maltose, and tryptone respectively. Lipase was stable between temperature range 30–80°C and pH 5–10 whereas optimally active at 55°C and pH 8.0. The enzyme was relatively stable for 10 days at 4°C and its optimum reaction time with the substrate was 30 minutes. It was tolerant to 1.5% (v/v) methanol as an organic solvent, 1.5% (v/v) Triton X-100 as a media additive and 1.5% (w/v) Ni2+ as a metal ion. SDS, n-hexane, and Ag+ inhibited lipolytic activity. Oil stains were removed from cotton fabric which showed oil removal efficiency enhancement in the presence of a lipase. Fat hydrolysis of 20, 24, and 30% was achieved following 6 hours of incubation of the fat particles with lipase A, B, and C respectively at a concentration of 20 mg mL-1. To as best of our knowledge, this study on lipases extracted from bacteria of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan origin has never been reported before.

Discovery of the Key Mutation Site Influencing the Thermostability of Thermomyces lanuginosus Lipase by Rosetta Design Programs

Lipases are remarkable biocatalysts and are broadly applied in many industry fields because of their versatile catalytic capabilities. Considering the harsh biotechnological treatment of industrial processes, the activities of lipase products are required to be maintained under extreme conditions. In our current study, Gibbs free energy calculations were performed to predict potent thermostable Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL) variants by Rosetta design programs. The calculating results suggest that engineering on R209 may greatly influence TLL thermostability. Accordingly, ten TLL mutants substituted R209 were generated and verified. We demonstrate that three out of ten mutants (R209H, R209M, and R209I) exhibit increased optimum reaction temperatures, melting temperatures, and thermal tolerances. Based on molecular dynamics simulation analysis, we show that the stable hydrogen bonding interaction between H198 and N247 stabilizes the local configuration of the 250-loop in the three R209 mutants, which may further contribute to higher rigidity and improved enzymatic thermostability. Our study provides novel insights into a single residue, R209, and the 250-loop, which were reported for the first time in modulating the thermostability of TLL. Additionally, the resultant R209 variants generated in this study might be promising candidates for future-industrial applications.

An encapsulated report on enzyme-assisted transesterification with an allusion to lipase

Biodiesel is a renewable, sulfur-free, toxic-free, and low carbon fuel which possesses enhanced lubricity. Transesterification is the easiest method employed for the production of biodiesel, in which the oil is transformed into biodiesel. Biocatalyst-mediated transesterification is more advantageous than chemical process because of its non-toxic nature, the requirement of mild reaction conditions, absence of saponification, easy product recovery, and production of high-quality biodiesel. Lipases are found to be the primary enzymes in enzyme-mediated transesterification process. Currently, researchers are using lipases as biocatalyst for transesterification. Lipases are extracted from various sources such as plants, microbes, and animals. Biocatalyst-based biodiesel production is not yet commercialized due to high-cost of purified enzymes and higher reaction time for the production process. However, research works are growing in the area of various cost-effective techniques for immobilizing lipase to improve its reusability. And further reduction in the production cost of lipases can be achieved by genetic engineering techniques. The reduction in reaction time can be achieved through ultrasonic-assisted biocatalytic transesterification. Biodiesel production by enzymatic transesterification is affected by many factors. Various methods have been developed to control these factors and improve biodiesel production. This report summarizes the various sources of lipase, various production strategies for lipase and the lipase-mediated transesterification. It is fully focused on the lipase enzyme and its role in biodiesel production. It also covers the detailed explanation of various influencing factors, which affect the lipase-mediated transesterification along with the limitations and scope of lipase in biodiesel production.

Molecular signatures of Janthinobacterium lividum from Trinidad support high potential for crude oil metabolism

Background

Janthinobacterium lividum is considered to be a psychrotrophic bacterial species. For the first time in the literature, J. lividum strains were isolated from Trinidad presenting with atypical features - hydrocarbonoclastic and able to survive in a tropical environment.

Methods

Identification of the Trinidad strains was carried out through 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis. Gene-specific primers were designed to target the VioA which encodes violacein pigment and the EstA/B gene which encodes secreted extracellular lipase. Bioinformatics analyses were carried out on the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of VioA and EstA/B genes of the Trinidad Janthinobacterium strains to assess functionality and phylogenetic relatedness to other Janthinobacterium sequences specifically and more broadly, to other members of the Oxalobacteraceae family of betaproteobacteria.

Results

16S rRNA confirmed the identity of the Trinidad strains as J. lividum and resolved three of the Trinidad strains at the intra-specific level. Typical motility patterns of this species were recorded. VioAp sequences were highly conserved, however, synonymous substitutions located outside of the critical sites for enzyme function were detected for the Trinidad strains. Comparisons with PDB 6g2p model from aa231 to aa406 further indicated no functional disruption of the VioA gene of the Trinidad strains. Phylogeny of the VioA protein sequences inferred placement of all J. lividum taxa into a highly supported species-specific clade (bs = 98%). EstA/Bp sequences were highly conserved, however, synonymous substitutions were detected that were unique to the Trinidad strains. Phylogenetic inference positioned the Trinidad consensus VioA and EstA protein sequences in a clearly distinct branch.

Conclusions

The findings showed that the primary sequence of VioAp and EstA/Bp were unique to the Trinidad strains and these molecular signatures were reflected in phylogenetic inference. Our results supported chemotaxis, possible elective inactivation of VioA gene expression and secreted lipase activity as survival mechanisms of the Trinidad strains in petrogenic conditions.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12866-021-02346-4.

Enzyme producing insect gut microbes: an unexplored biotechnological aspect

To explore the unmapped biotechnologically important microbial platforms for human welfare, the insect gut system is such a promising arena. Insects, the inhabitant of all ecological niches, harbor a healthy diversified microbial population in their versatile gut environment. This deep-rooted symbiotic relationship between insects and gut microbes is the result of several indispensable microbial performances that include: enzyme production, detoxification of plant defense compounds and insecticides, maintenance of life cycle, host fertility, bioremediation, pest biocontrol, production of antimicrobial compounds, and in addition provide vitamins, amino acids, and lactic acids to their hosts. Insects have developed such symbiotic interactions with different microorganisms for nutritional benefits like the digestion of dietary compounds by the production of several key hydrolytic enzymes viz: amylase, cellulase, lignocellulase, protease, lipase, xylanase, pectinase, chitinase, laccase, etc. The nutritional enrichment offered by these microbes to insects may be the key factor in the evolutionary attainment of this group. Around one million insect species are grouped under 31 orders, however, only ten of such groups' have been studied in relation to enzyme-producing gut microbes. Moreover, insect gut symbionts are a potential source of biotechnologically active biomolecules as these microbes go through a course of selection pressures in their host gut environment. As symbiosis has pronounced potential regarding the production of novel compounds, especially enzymes with multidimensional industrial capabilities, so there are ample scopes to explore this treasure box for human welfare. Biological significance as well as industrially compatible capabilities can categorize these insect gut symbionts as an unexplored biotechnological aspect.

Pseudomonas nanhaiensis sp. nov., a lipase-producing bacterium isolated from deep-sea sediment of the South China Sea

A bacterial lipase producing bacterium, designated SCS 2-3, was isolated from deep-sea sediment of the South China Sea. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA sequence revealed that strain SCS2-3 belonged to the genus Pseudomonas and had 98.56% similarity to P. xinjiangensis NRRL B-51270^T as the closest relative strain. MLSA using four protein-coding genes (dnaK, gyrA, recA, and rpoB) showed strain SCS 2-3 to form a separate branch. ANI and in silico DDH values between strain SCS 2-3 and related type strains of Pseudomonas were less than 81.51% and 23.80%, respectively. Genome comparison showed that strain SCS 2-3 shared 1875 core gene families with other eight closely related type strains in Pseudomonas, and the number of strain-unique genes was 263. Through gene annotations, genes related to lipase were found in the genome. Furthermore, a combination of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and genotypic data clearly indicated that strain SCS 2-3 represents a novel species of the genus Pseudomonas, for which the name Pseudomonas nanhaiensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SCS 2-3^T (= GDMCC 1.2219^T = JCM 34440^T).

Microbial lipases and their industrial applications: a comprehensive review

Lipases are very versatile enzymes, and produced the attention of the several industrial processes. Lipase can be achieved from several sources, animal, vegetable, and microbiological. The uses of microbial lipase market is estimated to be USD 425.0 Million in 2018 and it is projected to reach USD 590.2 Million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 6.8% from 2018. Microbial lipases (EC 3.1.1.3) catalyze the hydrolysis of long chain triglycerides. The microbial origins of lipase enzymes are logically dynamic and proficient also have an extensive range of industrial uses with the manufacturing of altered molecules. The unique lipase (triacylglycerol acyl hydrolase) enzymes catalyzed the hydrolysis, esterification and alcoholysis reactions. Immobilization has made the use of microbial lipases accomplish its best performance and hence suitable for several reactions and need to enhance aroma to the immobilization processes. Immobilized enzymes depend on the immobilization technique and the carrier type. The choice of the carrier concerns usually the biocompatibility, chemical and thermal stability, and insolubility under reaction conditions, capability of easy rejuvenation and reusability, as well as cost proficiency. Bacillus spp., Achromobacter spp., Alcaligenes spp., Arthrobacter spp., Pseudomonos spp., of bacteria and Penicillium spp., Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., of fungi are screened large scale for lipase production. Lipases as multipurpose biological catalyst has given a favorable vision in meeting the needs for several industries such as biodiesel, foods and drinks, leather, textile, detergents, pharmaceuticals and medicals. This review represents a discussion on microbial sources of lipases, immobilization methods increased productivity at market profitability and reduce logistical liability on the environment and user.

The effect of single CNTs/GNPs and complexes on promoting the interfacial catalytic activity of lipase in conventional emulsions

BACKGROUND

The interfacial activation mechanism of lipase enables it to exhibit high catalytic activity in water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsions. However, W/O microemulsions have obvious defects such as a small water pool and a large demand for surfactants. The present study investigated the substitutability of conventional oil-in-water (O/W) and W/O emulsions as lipase catalytic systems. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/gold nanoparticles (GNPs) or CNT-GNP electrostatically bonded complexes were added into the conventional emulsion system.

RESULTS

The simulated biphasic system and fluorescence study showed different and even contradictory results for the interfacial behavior of CNTs and CNT-GNP complexes due to the variation of the dispersibility of CNTs in cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Results also showed that conventional O/W emulsions were more suitable for lipase catalysis than conventional W/O emulsions. When CNTs or CNT_CATB -GNP complexes were added in a conventional O/W emulsion system, the catalytic activity of lipase was significantly promoted (up to 4.8-fold using CNTs and 3.5-fold using CNT_CATB -GNP complexes compared with free lipase).

CONCLUSIONS

The possible reason for this promotion may be due to the increase in the interface area. The current study was not only the latest exploration of lipase activity promotion via nanomaterials, but also explored a new lipase catalytic system and provides further insight into improving the catalytic performance of lipase in conventional emulsions. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Enhancement of Aeribacillus pallidus strain VP3 lipase catalytic activity through optimization of medium composition using Box-Behnken design and its application in detergent formulations

Lipases are hydrolytic enzymes owing much importance in industrial applications. These enzyme-based detergents are ecofriendly and produce a wastewater with low level of COD (chemical oxygen demand). In the present work, a novel halophilous, thermoalkaline, and detergent-tolerant lipase produced by a newly isolated Aeribacillus pallidus strain VP3 was studied. Considerable interest has been given to this lipase by the improvement of its catalytic activity through the optimization of the pH, the (C/N) ratio, and the inoculum size, using the response surface methodology based on the Box-Behnken design of experiments. A total of 16 experiments were conducted, and the optimized pH, (C/N) ratio, and inoculum size were 10, 1, and 0.3, respectively. The results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) test indicated that the established model was significant (p value < 0.05). The optimization of the production conditions leads to 2.83-fold of increase in the catalytic activity calculated as the ratio of the activity obtained after optimization (68 U) and the initial activity before optimization (24 U). All in all, the lipase of Aeribacillus pallidus could be considered as a potential candidate to be incorporated in detergent formulations since it shows a good stability towards detergents and wash performance.

Wickerhamomyces psychrolipolyticus f.a., sp. nov., a novel yeast species producing two kinds of lipases with activity at different temperatures

Two yeast strains isolated from soil collected in Hokkaido, Japan, were found to secrete two extracellular lipases that exhibited activities at both 25 and 4 °C. Both strains could utilize olive oil, rapeseed oil, lard and fish oil as sole carbon sources. The similarity of the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU rRNA) sequence of these yeast strains to that of other yeasts in the GenBank database was very low (<96 %). The phylogenetic trees based on the LSU rRNA sequences and translation elongation factor-1-α (tef1-α) sequences indicated that both strains represented a member of the Wickerhamomyces /Candida clade. Sexual reproduction was not observed. The name Wickerhamomyces psychrolipolyticus f.a., sp. nov is proposed for this newly described yeast species producing cold-active lipases. This novel species is distinguishable from the type strains of other related species, Wickerhamomyces alni, Candida ulmi and Candida quercuum due to their abilities to grow at 4 to 30 °C, to produce lipase that is active also at 4 °C and to assimilate soluble starch.

Enhanced Biocatalytic Activity of Recombinant Lipase Immobilized on Gold Nanoparticles

BACKGROUND

Bacterial lipases especially Pseudomonas lipases are extensively used for different biotechnological applications.

OBJECTIVES

With the better understanding and progressive needs for improving its activity in accordance with the growing market demand, we aimed in this study to improve the recombinant production and biocatalytic activity of lipases via surface conjugation on gold nanoparticles.

METHODS

The full length coding sequences of lipase gene (lipA), lipase specific foldase gene (lipf) and dual cassette (lipAf) gene were amplified from the genomic DNA of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 and cloned into the bacterial expression vector pRSET-B. Recombinant lipases were expressed in E. coli BL-21 (DE3) pLysS then purified using nickel affinity chromatography and the protein identity was confirmed using SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. The purified recombinant lipases were immobilized through surface conjugation with gold nanoparticles and enzymatic activity was colorimetrically quantified.

RESULTS

Here, two single expression plasmid systems pRSET-B-lipA and pRSET-B-lipf and one dual cassette expression plasmid system pRSET-B-lipAf were successfully constructed. The lipolytic activities of recombinant lipases LipA, Lipf and LipAf were 4870, 426 and 6740 IUmg-1, respectively. However, upon immobilization of these recombinant lipases on prepared gold nanoparticles (GNPs), the activities were 7417, 822 and 13035 IUmg-1, for LipA-GNPs, Lipf-GNPs and LipAf-GNPs, respectively. The activities after immobilization have been increased 1.52 and 1.93 -fold for LipA and LipAf, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The lipolytic activity of recombinant lipases in the bioconjugate was significantly increased relative to the free recombinant enzyme where immobilization had made the enzyme attain its optimum performance.

Lipases: Sources, Production, Purification, and Applications

Background and Sources: Lipase enzyme is a naturally occurring enzyme found in the stomach and pancreatic juice. Its function is to digest fats and lipids, helping to maintain correct gallbladder function. Lipase is the one such widely used and versatile enzyme. These enzymes are obtained from animals, plants and as well as from several microorganisms and are sufficiently stable. These are considered as nature's catalysts, but commercially, only microbial lipases are being used significantly. Applications: They found enormous application in the industries of fat and oil processing, oleochemical industry, food industry, detergents, pulp and paper industry, detergents, environment management, tea processing, biosensors and cosmetics and perfumery. Various recent patents related to lipases have been revised in this review. Conclusion: Lipases are very peculiar as they have the ability to hydrolyse fats into fatty acids and glycerols at the water-lipid interface and can reverse the reaction in non-aqueous media. This natural ability makes it the most widely used enzyme in various industrial applications. This article deals with the immense versatility of lipase enzymes along with the recent advancements done in the various fields related to their purification and mass production in industries.

Cold survival strategies for bacteria, recent advancement and potential industrial applications

Microorganisms have evolved themselves to thrive under various extreme environmental conditions such as extremely high or low temperature, alkalinity, and salinity. These microorganisms adapted several metabolic processes to survive and reproduce efficiently under such extreme environments. As the major proportion of earth is covered with the cold environment and is exploited by human beings, these sites are not pristine anymore. Human interventions are a great reason for disturbing the natural biogeochemical cycles in these regions. The survival strategies of these organisms have shown great potential for helping us to restore these pristine sites and the use of isolated cold-adapted enzymes from these organisms has also revolutionized various industrial products. This review gives you the insight of psychrophilic enzyme adaptations and their industrial applications.

Immobilization and characterization of lipase from an indigenous Bacillus aryabhattai SE3-PB isolated from lipid-rich wastewater

Extracellular lipase from an indigenous Bacillus aryabhattai SE3-PB was immobilized in alginate beads by entrapment method. After optimization of immobilization conditions, maximum immobilization efficiencies of 77% ± 1.53% and 75.99% ± 3.49% were recorded at optimum concentrations of 2% (w/v) sodium alginate and 0.2 M calcium chloride, respectively, for the entrapped enzyme. Biochemical properties of both free and immobilized lipase revealed no change in the optimum temperature and pH of both enzyme preparations, with maximum activity attained at 60 °C and 9.5, respectively. In comparison to free lipase, the immobilized enzyme exhibited improved stability over the studied pH range (8.5-9.5) and temperature (55-65 °C) when incubated for 3 h. Furthermore, the immobilized lipase showed enhanced enzyme-substrate affinity and higher catalytic efficiency when compared to soluble enzyme. The entrapped enzyme was also found to be more stable, retaining 61.51% and 49.44% of its original activity after being stored for 30 days at 4 °C and 25 °C, respectively. In addition, the insolubilized enzyme exhibited good reusability with 18.46% relative activity after being repeatedly used for six times. These findings suggest the efficient and sustainable use of the developed immobilized lipase for various biotechnological applications.

Screening, purification and characterization of lipase from Burkholderia pyrrocinia B1213

A lipase producing strain B1213 isolated from soil was identified as Burkholderia pyrrocinia based on 16S rRNA gene and recA sequeence analysis, making this the first report on the presence of a lipase from B. pyrrocinia. Under an aqueous two-phase purification strategy, which included (ATPE)-ion-exchange chromatography (IEC)-gel and filtration chromatography (GFC), the specific activity of the 35-kDa lipase was determined to be 875.7 U/mg protein. The optimum pH and temperature of this lipase was pH 8.0 and 50 °C, respectively. The lipase retained > 85% activity in isopropanol and acetone at 30 °C for 10 min but the activity was reduced to 10.6% in n-hexane. Mg²⁺, Al³⁺, Mn²⁺, and Fe³⁺ enhanced lipase activity at both 1 mM and 5 mM concentrations. p-NPP, a long-chain acyl group 4-NP ester, appeared to be a good substrate candidate.

Heterologous expression and characterization of a new lipase from Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf0-1 and used for biodiesel production

As a kind of important biocatalysts, Pseudomonas lipases are commonly applied in various industrial fields. Pflip1, a new extracellular lipase gene from Pseudomonas. fluorescens Pf0-1, was first cloned and respectively expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) and Pichia pastoris KM71, the recombinant proteins Pflip1a and Pflip1b were later purified separately. Then Pflip1a was further characterized. The optimum pH of Pflip1a was 8.0 and its optimal temperature was 70 °C. After incubation at 70 °C for 12 h, Pflip1a could retain over 95% of its original activity. It showed the highest activity towards p-nitrophenyl caprylate. Moreover, its activity was profoundly affected by metal ion, ionic surfactants and organic solvents. Furthermore, the two obtained recombinant lipases were immobilized on the magnetic nanoparticles for biodiesel preparation. The GC analysis showed that for the immobilized lipases Pflip1b and Pflip1a, the biodiesel yield within 24 h respectively attained 68.5% and 80.5% at 70 °C. The activities of the two immobilized lipases still remained 70% and 82% after 10 cycles of operations in non-solvent system. These characteristics and transesterification capacity of the recombinant protein indicated its great potential for organic synthesis, especially for biodiesel production.

Antimicrobial and enzymatic activity of anemophilous fungi of a public university in Brazil

To the fungal microbiota the UFPE and biotechnological potential enzymatic and antimicrobial production. Air conditioned environments were sampled using a passive sedimentation technique, the air I ratio and the presence of aflatoxigenic strains evaluated for ANVISA. Icelles were to determine the enzymatic activity of lipase, amylase and protease metabolic liquids to determine antimicrobial activity. Diversity was observed in all CAV environments, CFU/m3 ranged from 14 to 290 and I/E ratio from 0.1 to 1.5. The of the fungal genera were: Aspergillus (50%), Penicillium (21%), Talaromyces (14%), Curvularia and Paecilomyces (7% each). Aspergillus sydowii (Bainier & Sartory) Thom & Church presented enzymatic activity and the Talaromyces purpureogenus Samson, Yilmaz, Houbraken, Spierenb., Seifert, Peterson, Varga & Frisvad presented antibacterial activity against all bacteria that all environments present fungal species biodiversity no toxigenic or pathogenic fungi were found, according to ANVISA legislation for conditioned environments and airborne filamentous fungi present potential for enzymatic and antimicrobial activity.

Effects of Triton X-100 and PEG on the Catalytic Properties and Thermal Stability of Lipase from Candida Rugosa Free and Immobilized on Glyoxyl-Agarose

Background

Candida rugosa Lipase (CRL) shows a very low alkaline stability that comprises its immobilization on glyoxyl-agarose, which requires pH above 10. In this way, an adaptation from the original method was used; an enzyme solution at pH 7 was slowly added at a suspension of glyoxyl-agarose prepared in bicarbonate buffer, pH 10. This change of protocol was enough for allowing the preparation of derivatives actives of CRL on glyoxyl-agarose and verifying the effect of this modified procedure on the properties of the immobilized enzyme. The effect of the additives Triton-X-100 and polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the enzymatic activity recovery and immobilized enzyme stability was evaluated.

Methods

The glyoxyl-agarose support was prepared by etherification of 6% agarose beads with glycidol and further oxidation with sodium periodate. CRL was immobilized covalently on glyoxyl-agarose support in the absence and presence of 1% (w/v) Triton-X-100 or 5 g L^-1 polyethylene glycol (PEG). The lipolysis activity of the free and immobilized enzyme was determined at 37ºC and pH 7.0, using p-nitrophenyl palmitate (p-NPP) as substrate. Profiles of temperature-activity (37-65ºC, pH 7.0) and pH-activity (6.0-9.5, 37ºC) were evaluated as well as thermal (45ºC and pH 8.0) and operational (15 min batches of p-NPP hydrolysis at 50ºC and pH 8.0) stabilities of free and immobilized CRL.

Results

Using a single modification of the original protocol, the CRL poorly stable under alkaline conditions could be immobilized on glyoxyl-agarose in its active conformation (recovered activity varying from 10.3 to 30.4%). Besides, the presence of a detergent (Triton-X-100) and an enzyme stabilizer (PEG) contributed to the preparation of more active and more stable biocatalysts, respectively. CRL immobilized on glyoxyl-agarose in the presence of PEG was around 5 times more stable than the free CRL and around 3 times more stable than the CRL immobilized on glyoxyl-agarose in absence of PEG. The higher stability of the CRL-glyoxyl derivative prepared in the presence of PEG allowed its reuse in four successive 15 min-batches of p-nitrophenyl palmitate hydrolysis at 50ºC and pH 8.0.

Conclusion

The technique of immobilizing enzymes covalently on glyoxyl-agarose showed promising results for Candida rugosa lipase (CRL). The derivatives prepared in the presence of the additives retained two to three times more activity than those prepared in the absence of additives. The enzyme immobilized in presence of PEG was about three times more stable than the enzyme immobilized in absence of this additive. Maximum catalytic activity of the immobilized CRL (in absence of additives) was observed in a temperature 10ºC above that for the free enzyme and the pH of the maximum activity was maintained in the range 6.5-7.5 for free and immobilized CRL.

Strep-tag II fusion technology for the modification and immobilization of lipase B from Candida antarctica (CALB)

Fusion tags - amino acid sequences that are genetically coded to be expressed as attached moieties to a protein - have the potential to enhance the activity of native enzyme, enable specific purification of the enzyme, and promote simple and efficient immobilization of enzymes onto material supports. In this work, we demonstrate the effect of a Strep-tag II fusion tag on the properties of free and immobilized lipase B from Candida antarctica (CALB). The gene encoding the mature portion of CALB was codon-optimized and cloned in pASG-IBA2 plasmid for expression in E. coli. Purified recombinant Strep-tag II CALB was immobilized to Strep-Tactin based support through affinity binding, and the immobilized and free Strep-tag II CALB were compared to a commercial CALB. Following modification, the enzyme could be selectively purified from culture media with no observable non-specific binding. The catalytic efficiency of the purified fusion-tagged enzyme was significantly greater than that of the commercial CALB in its free form. Immobilization of the fusion-tagged enzyme to Strep-Tactin modified crosslinked agarose support yielded a catalytically active enzyme; however, the k_cat of the immobilized enzyme was significantly reduced compared to the free tagged enzyme. This work indicates that a C-terminus Strep-tag II fusion tag may be employed to improve the catalytic efficiency of free CALB, but may not be suitable for immobilized applications that employ binding of the enzyme to a Strep-Tactin-modified support.

Mutations improving production and secretion of extracellular lipase by Burkholderia glumae PG1

Burkholderia glumae is a Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacterium known as the causative agent of rice panicle blight. Strain B. glumae PG1 is used for the production of a biotechnologically relevant lipase, which is secreted into the culture supernatant via a type II secretion pathway. We have comparatively analyzed the genome sequences of B. glumae PG1 wild type and a lipase overproducing strain obtained by classical strain mutagenesis. Among a total number of 72 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in the genome of the production strain, two were localized in front of the lipAB operon and were analyzed in detail. Both mutations contribute to a 100-fold overproduction of extracellular lipase in B. glumae PG1 by affecting transcription of the lipAB operon and efficiency of lipase secretion. We analyzed each of the two SNPs separately and observed a stronger influence of the promoter mutation than of the signal peptide modification but also a cumulative effect of both mutations. Furthermore, fusion of the mutated LipA signal peptide resulted in a 2-fold increase in secretion of the heterologous reporter alkaline phosphatase from Escherichia coli.

Thermus thermophilus as a Source of Thermostable Lipolytic Enzymes

Lipolytic enzymes, esterases (EC 3.1.1.1) and lipases (EC 3.1.1.3), catalyze the hydrolysis of ester bonds between alcohols and carboxylic acids, and its formation in organic media. At present, they represent about 20% of commercialized enzymes for industrial use. Lipolytic enzymes from thermophilic microorganisms are preferred for industrial use to their mesophilic counterparts, mainly due to higher thermostability and resistance to several denaturing agents. However, the production at an industrial scale from the native organisms is technically complicated and expensive. The thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus (T. thermophilus) has high levels of lipolytic activity, and its whole genome has been sequenced. One esterase from the T. thermophilus strain HB27 has been widely characterized, both in its native form and in recombinant forms, being expressed in mesophilic microorganisms. Other putative lipases/esterases annotated in the T. thermophilus genome have been explored and will also be reviewed in this paper.

Ultrasound intensification suppresses the need of methanol excess during the biodiesel production with Lipozyme TL-IM

The synthesis of biodiesel from sunflower oil and methanol based on transesterification using the immobilized lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus (Lipozyme TL-IM) has been investigated under silent conditions and under an ultrasound field. Ultrasound assisted process led to reduced processing time and requirement of lower enzyme dosage. We found for the first time that oil to methanol ratio of 1:3 was favored for the ultrasound assisted enzymatic process which is lower than that observed for the case of conventional stirring based approach (ratio of 1.4). Our results indicate that intensification provided by ultrasound suppresses the need of the excess of the methanol reactant during the enzymatic biodiesel production. Ultrasound assisted enzymatic biodiesel production is therefore a faster and a cleaner processes.

Preparation of cobalt nanoparticles from polymorphic bacterial templates: A novel platform for biocatalysis

Nanoparticles have gathered significant research attention as materials for enzyme immobilization due to their advantageous properties such as low diffusion rates, ease of manipulation, and large surface areas. Here, polymorphic cobalt nanoparticles of varied sizes and shapes were prepared using Micrococcus lylae, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Paracoccus sp., and Haloarcula vallismortis as bacterial templates. Furthermore, nine lipases/carboxylesterases were successfully immobilized on these cobalt nanoparticles. Especially, immobilized forms of Est-Y29, LmH, and Sm23 were characterized in more detail for potential industrial applications. Immobilization of enzymes onto cobalt oxide nanoparticles prepared from polymorphic bacterial templates may have potential for efficient hydrolysis on an industrial-scale, with several advantages such as high retention of enzymatic activity, increased stability, and strong reusability.

Expression, purification and characterization of a functional, recombinant, cold-active lipase (LipA) from psychrotrophic Yersinia enterocolitica

A novel cold-active lipase gene encoding 294 amino acid residues was obtained from the Yersinia enterocolitica strain KM1. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis revealed that this novel lipase is a new member of the bacterial lipase family I.1. The lipase shares the conserved GXSXG motif and catalytic triad Ser85-Asp239-His261. The recombinant protein LipA was solubly and heterogeneously expressed in Escherichia coli, purified by Ni-affinity chromatography, and then characterized. LipA was active over a broad range spanning 15-60°C with an optimum activity at 25°C and across a wide pH range from 5.0 to 11.0 with an optimum activity at pH 7.5. The molecular weight was estimated to be 34.2 KDa. The lipase could be activated by Mg(2+) and a low concentration (10%) of ethanol, dimethyl sulfoxide, methanol and acetonitrile, whereas it was strongly inhibited by Zn(2+), Cu(2+) and Mn(2+). This cold-active lipase may be a good candidate for detergents and biocatalysts at low temperature.

Lipase-Secreting Bacillus Species in an Oil-Contaminated Habitat: Promising Strains to Alleviate Oil Pollution

Lipases are of great interest for different industrial applications due to their diversity and versatility. Among different lipases, microbial lipases are preferable due to their broad substrate specificity, and higher stability with lower production costs compared to the lipases from plants and animals. In the past, a vast number of bacterial species have been reported as potential lipases producers. In this study, the lipases-producing bacterial species were isolated from an oil spillage area in the conventional night market. Isolated species were identified as Bacillus species by biochemical tests which indicate their predominant establishment, and further screened on the agar solid surfaces using lipid and gelatin as the substrates. Out of the ten strains tested, four potential strains were subjected to comparison analysis of the lipolytic versus proteolytic activities. Strain 10 exhibited the highest lipolytic and proteolytic activity. In all the strains, the proteolytic activity is higher than the lipolytic activity except for strain 8, suggesting the possibility for substrate-based extracellular gene induction. The simultaneous secretion of both the lipase and protease is a mean of survival. The isolated bacterial species which harbour both lipase and protease enzymes could render potential industrial-based applications and solve environmental issues.

Isolation and characterization of novel lipases/esterases from a bovine rumen metagenome

Improving the health beneficial fatty acid content of meat and milk is a major challenge requiring an increased understanding of rumen lipid metabolism. In this study, we isolated and characterized rumen bacterial lipases/esterases using functional metagenomics. Metagenomic libraries were constructed from DNA extracted from strained rumen fluid (SRF), solid-attached bacteria (SAB) and liquid-associated rumen bacteria (LAB), ligated into a fosmid vector and subsequently transformed into an Escherichia coli host. Fosmid libraries consisted of 7,744; 8,448; and 7,680 clones with an average insert size of 30 to 35 kbp for SRF, SAB and LAB, respectively. Transformants were screened on spirit blue agar plates containing tributyrin for lipase/esterase activity. Five SAB and four LAB clones exhibited lipolytic activity, and no positive clones were found in the SRF library. Fosmids from positive clones were pyrosequenced and twelve putative lipase/esterase genes and two phospholipase genes retrieved. Although the derived proteins clustered into diverse esterase and lipase families, a degree of novelty was seen, with homology ranging from 40 to 78 % following BlastP searches. Isolated lipases/esterases exhibited activity against mostly short- to medium-chain substrates across a range of temperatures and pH. The function of these novel enzymes recovered in ruminal metabolism needs further investigation, alongside their potential industrial uses.

The combined use of ultrasound and molecular sieves improves the synthesis of ethyl butyrate catalyzed by immobilized Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase

In this work, the combined use of ultrasound energy and molecular sieves was investigated for the synthesis of ethyl butyrate, ester with mango and banana notes, catalyzed by the immobilized lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus (Lipozyme TL-IM). Initially, the best concentrations of biocatalysts (35%) and butyric acid (0.7M) were tested using ultrasound as an alternative to mechanical agitation. The amount of acid in the reaction could be increased by 2-fold when compared to previous works where mechanical agitation was used. In the next step, substrate molar ratio and reaction temperature were optimized and the best conditions were at their lowest levels: 1:1 (acid:alcohol), and 30°C, reaching 61% of conversion in 6h. Molecular sieves (3Å) were added to optimized reaction medium in order to remove the formed water and improve the maximum yield. The reaction yield increased 1.5 times, reaching 90% of conversion in 6h, when 60mg of molecular sieves per mmol of butyric acid was used. Finally, the reuse of Lipozyme TL-IM for the ultrasound-assisted synthesis of ethyl butyrate was verified for 10 batches, without any appreciable loss of activity, whereas in systems using mechanical agitation, the biocatalyst was completely inactivated after 5 batches. These results suggest that the combined use of ultrasound and molecular sieves greatly improve esterification reactions by stabilizing the enzyme and increasing yields.

Adaptational properties and applications of cold-active lipases from psychrophilic bacteria

Psychrophilic microorganisms are cold-adapted with distinct properties from other thermal classes thriving in cold conditions in large areas of the earth's cold environment. Maintenance of functional membranes, evolving cold-adapted enzymes and synthesizing a range of structural features are basic adaptive strategies of psychrophiles. Among the cold-evolved enzymes are the cold-active lipases, a group of microbial lipases with inherent stability-activity-flexibility property that have engaged the interest of researchers over the years. Current knowledge regarding these cold-evolved enzymes in psychrophilic bacteria proves a display of high catalytic efficiency with low thermal stability, which is a differentiating feature with that of their mesophilic and thermophilic counterparts. Improvement strategies of their adaptive structural features have significantly benefited the enzyme industry. Based on their homogeneity and purity, molecular characterizations of these enzymes have been successful and their properties make them unique biocatalysts for various industrial and biotechnological applications. Although, strong association of lipopolysaccharides from Antarctic microorganisms with lipid hydrolases pose a challenge in their purification, heterologous expression of the cold-adapted lipases with affinity tags simplifies purification with higher yield. The review discusses these cold-evolved lipases from bacteria and their peculiar properties, in addition to their potential biotechnological and industrial applications.

Novel lipase purification methods - a review of the latest developments

Microbial lipases are popular biocatalysts due to their ability to catalyse diverse reactions such as hydrolysis, esterification, and acidolysis. Lipases function efficiently on various substrates in aqueous and non-aqueous media. Lipases are chemo-, regio-, and enantio-specific, and are useful in various industries, including those manufacturing food, detergents, and pharmaceuticals. A large number of lipases from fungal and bacterial sources have been isolated and purified to homogeneity. This success is attributed to the development of both conventional and novel purification techniques. This review highlights the use of these techniques in lipase purification, including conventional techniques such as: (i) ammonium sulphate fractionation; (ii) ion-exchange; (iii) gel filtration and affinity chromatography; as well as novel techniques such as (iv) reverse micellar system; (v) membrane processes; (vi) immunopurification; (vi) aqueous two-phase system; and (vii) aqueous two-phase floatation. A summary of the purification schemes for various bacterial and fungal lipases are also provided.

Metagenomics: An Application Based Perspective

Metagenomics deals with the isolation of genetic material directly recovered from environmental samples. Metagenomics as an approach has emerged over the past two decades to elucidate a host of microbial communities inhabiting a specific niche with the goal of understanding their genetic diversity, population structure, and ecological role played by them. A number of new and novel molecules with significant functionalities and applications have been identified through this approach. In fact, many investigators are engaged in this field to unlock the untapped genetic resources with funding from governments sector. The sustainable economic future of modern industrialized societies requires the development of novel molecules, enzymes, processes, products, and applications. Metagenomics can also be applied to solve practical challenges in the field of medicine, agriculture, sustainability, and ecology. Metagenomics promises to provide new molecules and novel enzymes with diverse functions and enhanced features compared to the enzymes from the culturable microorganisms. Besides the application of metagenomics for unlocking novel biocatalysts from nature, it also has found applications in fields as diverse as bioremediation, personalized medicine, xenobiotic metabolism, and so forth.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of a novel type of lipolytic hydrolase from Bacillus licheniformis

With increasing demand in biotechnological applications, the identification and characterization of novel lipolytic enzymes are of great importance. The crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic study of a novel type of hydrolase from Bacillus licheniformis (BL28) are described here. Recombinant BL28 protein containing a C-terminal His tag was overproduced in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. BL28 was crystallized using 0.2 M ammonium acetate, 0.1 M sodium citrate tribasic dihydrate pH 5.6, 30%(w/v) PEG 4000 as a crystallizing solution. X-ray diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 1.67 Å with an Rmerge of 5.8%. The BL28 crystals belonged to the tetragonal space group P41212, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 57.89, c = 167.25 Å. A molecular-replacement solution was obtained and structure refinement of BL28 is in progress.

A cold-adapted and organic solvent-tolerant lipase from a psychrotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain YY31: identification, cloning, and characterization

A novel cold-adapted lipase (designated as LipYY31) was obtained from a psychrotrophic Pseudomonas sp. YY31. The strain YY31 was gram-negative, rod shaped, motile by means of one polar flagellum, and exhibited chemotaxis toward oil droplets under a microscope. The strain displayed remarkable degradation of edible oil and fat even at 5 °C. The LipYY31 DNA fragment contains an open reading frame of 1,410 bp which encoded a protein of 470 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 49,584 Da. LipYY31 showed high sequence similarity to those of subfamily Ι.3 lipase and had a conserved GXSXG motif around the catalytic Ser residue. Its optimal temperature was 25-30 °C, and it retained 20-40 % of its activity at 0-5 °C. The optimal pH value was 8.0. The activity was strongly inhibited by Cd(2+), Zn(2+), EDTA and was highly dependent on Ca(2+). Tricaprin and p-nitrophenyl caprate were the most favorable substrates among the triglycerides and p-nitrophenyl esters, respectively. LipYY31 also had high activity towards natural substrates including edible vegetable oils and animal fat. Furthermore, LipYY31 was very active and stable in the presence of several detergents and organic solvents. In particular, the lipase exhibited high stability against organic solvents such as methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol.

Strategies to characterize fungal lipases for applications in medicine and dairy industry

Lipases are water-soluble enzymes that act on insoluble substrates and catalyze the hydrolysis of long-chain triglycerides. Lipases play a vital role in the food, detergent, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. In the past, fungal lipases gained significant attention in the industries due to their substrate specificity and stability under varied chemical and physical conditions. Fungal enzymes are extracellular in nature, and they can be extracted easily, which significantly reduces the cost and makes this source preferable over bacteria. Soil contaminated with spillage from the products of oil and dairy harbors fungal species, which have the potential to secrete lipases to degrade fats and oils. Herein, the strategies involved in the characterization of fungal lipases, capable of degrading fatty substances, are narrated with a focus on further applications.

Biochemical diversity of carboxyl esterases and lipases from Lake Arreo (Spain): a metagenomic approach

The esterases and lipases from the α/β hydrolase superfamily exhibit an enormous sequence diversity, fold plasticity, and activities. Here, we present the comprehensive sequence and biochemical analyses of seven distinct esterases and lipases from the metagenome of Lake Arreo, an evaporite karstic lake in Spain (42°46'N, 2°59'W; altitude, 655 m). Together with oligonucleotide usage patterns and BLASTP analysis, our study of esterases/lipases mined from Lake Arreo suggests that its sediment contains moderately halophilic and cold-adapted proteobacteria containing DNA fragments of distantly related plasmids or chromosomal genomic islands of plasmid and phage origins. This metagenome encodes esterases/lipases with broad substrate profiles (tested over a set of 101 structurally diverse esters) and habitat-specific characteristics, as they exhibit maximal activity at alkaline pH (8.0 to 8.5) and temperature of 16 to 40°C, and they are stimulated (1.5 to 2.2 times) by chloride ions (0.1 to 1.2 M), reflecting an adaptation to environmental conditions. Our work provides further insights into the potential significance of the Lake Arreo esterases/lipases for biotechnology processes (i.e., production of enantiomers and sugar esters), because these enzymes are salt tolerant and are active at low temperatures and against a broad range of substrates. As an example, the ability of a single protein to hydrolyze triacylglycerols, (non)halogenated alkyl and aryl esters, cinnamoyl and carbohydrate esters, lactones, and chiral epoxides to a similar extent was demonstrated.