Use of thermostable Fusarium heterosporum lipase for production of structured lipid containing oleic and palmitic acids in organic solvent-free system

A newly developed 1,3-positionally specific thermostable lipase from Fusarium heterosporum (named R275A lipase) was immobilized on Dowex WBA for the production of structured lipid by acidolysis of tripalmitin (PPP) with oleic acid (OA). The immobilized catalyst was fully activated by pretreatment at 50°C in a PPP/OA mixture containing 2% water. The pretreatment caused concomitant hydrolysis, but the hydrolysis was repressed using a substrate without water in the subsequent reactions. The optimal reaction conditions were determined as follows: A mixture of PPP/OA (1∶2, w/w) and 8% immobilized lipase catalyst was incubated at 50°C for 24 h with shaking at 130 oscillations/min. The acidolysis reached 50% under these conditions, and the contents of triolein, 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl-glycerol, 1(3),2-dioleoyl-3(1)-palmitoyl-glycerol, 1(3),2-palmitoyl-3(1)-oleoyl-glycerol, 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerol, and PPP in the reaction mixture were 8, 36, 4, 28, 1, and 6 mol%, respectively. The stabilities of immobilized R275A lipase catalyst and two immobilized catalysts containing Rhizopus delemar or Rhizomucor miehei lipases were compared under the conditions mentioned above, with the catalysts being transferred to fresh substrate every 24 h. The half-life of the R275A lipase catalyst was 370 d, which was significantly longer than those of Rhizopus and Rhizomucor lipase catalysts.     

Synthesis of structured triglycerides from peanut oil with immobilized lipase

Structured triglycerides (ST) that contain medium- and long-chain fatty acids were synthesized by lipase-catalyzed interesterification between tricaprylin and peanut oil. To select appropriate enzymes, we investigated nine commercial lipase preparations for their ability to hydrolyze pure triglycerides as well as natural oils. Three microbial lipases from Rhizomucor miehei (RML), Candida sp. (CSL), and Chromobacterium viscosum (CVL) gave good results, and immobilized preparations were used in the interesterification. RML gave the highest yields of ST (73%, 40°C), although its hydrolytic activity toward triolein was low. As the temperature was raised to 50°C, the yield of ST increased to 79%. After 120 h reaction time, remaining activities were high for CSL (71%), moderate for CVL (48%), and low for RML (20%). Parts of this paper were presented as a poster at the Biochemical Engineering Conference IX, May 1995, Davos, Switzerland.     

Application of Immobilized Lipase from Candida rugosa to Synthesis of Cholesterol Oleate

Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) has been immobilized on two kinds of ion-exchange resins, Duolite A 568 and Amberlite IRC 50. These preparations were investigated as a tool for the production of cholesterol oleate in organic media. An increase in temperature up to 40°C increased the rate of reaction and improved the final ester yield. Under optimal conditions, the reaction yield was followed as a time function, for both lipase preparations with an initial water content of 20%. Then, it was observed that about 78% of the oleic acid was esterified after 10 h using CRL immobilized on Duolite, whereas 73% synthesis of cholesterol oleate was reached with CRL immobilized on Amberlite, for the same incubation time. Also, a difference in reaction yield was noticed for the preparations containing sorbitol. In fact, sorbitol treatment might improve the activity of immobilized lipase by preserving the watershell around the catalyst and by increasing the accessibility of the active site to the substrates. In this way, the reaction yield was enhanced, and an increase of 10% synthesis of cholesterol oleate was obtained in both cases. © 1997 SCI.     

Enzymatic fatty ester synthesis

Fatty ester synthesis with immobilized 1,3-specific lipase fromMucor miehei is described. 1,2-Isopropylidene glycerol produced by condensation of glycerol with acetone was esterified with oleic acid in the presence of aMucor miehei lipase (Lipozyme™) to obtain 1,2-isopropylidene-3-oleoyl glycerol. The effects of various process parameters (temperature and pressure) and various ratios (enzyme/substrate) have been investigated to determine optimal conditions for the esterification process. The highest conversion of oleic acid (80% w/w) was obtained at 55°C and 0.057 bar, while the optimal addition of lipase to substrate was determined to be 0.096 g per gram of reaction mixture. The esterification can be modeled successfully as a reverse second-order reaction. Thermodynamic properties of the reaction system at 55°C and 0.057 bar also were determined. Activation energy was 20.82 kJ/mole, entropy of activation −0,26 kJ/(K mole) and free energy of activation was 103.32 kJ/mole.     

Catalytic Behaviour of Lipase Free and Immobilized in Biphasic Membrane Reactor with Different Low Water-Soluble Substrates

The catalytic activity and reaction rate of lipase have been studied using the biocatalyst free in an organic/aqueous emulsion and immobilized in a biphasic organic/aqueous membrane reactor. The first reaction system was realized in a stirred tank reactor. The other was obtained by immobilizing the enzyme in the sponge layer of an asymmetric capillary membrane and recirculating the two phases along the two separate circuits of the membrane module. The performance of the reactors has been studied using two different low water-soluble substrates: triglycerides present in commercial olive oil and (R,S)-cyanomethyl-[2-(4-isobutylphenyl)propionate] (CNE). The effects of substrate viscosity and flow dynamics conditions, such as organic phase flow rate, on the biphasic membrane reactor performance have been evaluated on the basis of observed reaction rate and catalytic activity of free and immobilized lipase for both substrates. It has been observed that free lipase showed higher catalytic activity with olive oil, while immobilized lipase showed higher catalytic activity with CNE which has a lower viscosity than olive oil. The increase of organic phase flow rate negatively affected the reactor performance, with a minor effect when using CNE rather than olive oil. The influence of temperature on the biocatalyst performance with the two substrates has also been investigated. The optimal temperature value of lipase was different for the two substrates: 28°C with CNE and 40°C with olive oil. © 1997 SCI.     

Immobilization of Pseudomonas cepacia lipase by sol-gel entrapment and its application in the hydrolysis of soybean oil

The immobilization of Lipase PS from Pseudomonas cepacia by entrapment within a chemically inert hydrophobic solgel support was studied. The gel-entrapped lipase was prepared by the hydrolysis of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) with methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS), isobutyltrimethoxysilane (iso-BTMS), and n-butyltrimethoxysilane. The immobilized lipase was subsequently used in the hydrolysis of soybean oil to determine its activity, recyclability, and thermostability. The biocatalyst so prepared was equal to or better than the free enzyme in its hydrolytic activity. The catalytic activity of the entrapped lipase strongly depended on the type of precursor that was used in its preparation. The lipase entrapped within TMOS/iso-BTMS showed the highest activity. The catalytic activity of the immobilized lipase was more pronounced during the earlier stages of the reaction. Thermostability of the lipase was significantly improved in the immobilized form. The immobilized lipase was stable up to 70°C, whereas for the free enzyme, moderate to severe loss of activity was observed beyond 40°C. The immobilized lipase was consistently more active and stable than the free enzyme. The immobilized lipase also proved to be very stable, as it retained more than 95% of its initial activity after twelve 1-h reactions.     

Immobilization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida rugosa</Emphasis> lipase by sol-gel entrapment and its application in the hydrolysis of soybean oil

Immobilization of lipase AY from Candida rugosa by entrapment within a chemically inert hydrophobic sol-gel support was studied. The gel-entrapped lipase was prepared by polycondensation of hydrolyzed tetramethoxysilane and isobutyltrimethoxysilane. Certain modifications were incorporated into the conventional immobilization procedure, including the use of glucose as additive and the application of vacuum during the drying and aging stages. The activity and thermostability of immobilized enzyme were subsequently determined in hydrolyzing soybean oil. Hydrolysis results showed more than 95 mol% of the theoretical yield for the formation of FF after 1 h of reaction at 40°C. The level of FFA was 3.3 times greater than that seen when an immobilized enzyme was prepared by the conventional sol-gel process. The immobilized enzyme retained most of its hydrolytic activity compared to the free enzyme and kept more than 95% activity after 120 h of incubation at 40°C, whereas the free enzyme lost 67% of its activity after 24 h of incubation and almost all of its activity after 96 h of incubation at 40°C. The immobilized enzyme also proved to be very stable, as it retained more than 90% of the initial activity after 16 one-hour reactions. Surface characterization studies suggested that the enzyme-containing sol-gel particles have amorphous morphology and are void of micro/meso pores.     

The effect of immobilization on the hydrolytic/interesterification activity of lipase from Rhizopus niveus

Lipase from Rhizopus niveus was immobilized by physical adsorption on Celite 545 and glass beads. The results showed that the highest immobilization efficiency and specific hydrolytic activity of 96% and 9.2 meq/mg protein/min, respectively, were obtained with Celite as the carrier. However, the specific hydrolytic activity of lipase adsorbed on glass beads by acetone precipitation was similar to that obtained by the Celite carrier, although the protein loading capacity was relatively low. The results showed that lipase immobilized on glass beads exhibited similar activity profiles with respect to reaction time, different enzyme concentrations, and water content, using trimyristin and tripalmitin as substrates, to those obtained with the free enzyme. In contrast, the immobilized lipase on Celite exhibited a considerably lower hydrolytic activity. However, the results also showed that the lipase activities of the free enzyme and the immobilized Celite enzyme were similar when the more hydrophilic triolein was used as the substrate. The interesterification of a mixture of tripalmitin and trimyristin or triolein was carried out using both the free and immobilized enzymes. The results indicated that the hydrolytic activity of lipase was similar in both cases for the first 24 h, after which it decreased dramatically. These findings suggest that at this late stage an equilibrium between the hydrolytic and interesterification reactions was reached.     

Purification and characterization of a lipase fromNeurospora sp. TT-241

An extracellular lipase, which is produced by theNeurospora sp. TT-241 strain, grown on wheat bran at 30°C for 4 d, was purified 370-fold with an overall yield of 16%. The molecular weight was determined to be 55 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The optimal pH at 30°C and optimal temperature at pH 6.5 were 7 and 45°C, respectively. The lipase was stable in the pH range of 5 to 8, and it was temperature-sensitive. It was active on a wide range of natural substrates of either vegetable or animal origins and towardp-nitrophenyl esters, greatly favoring those containing C₄ acyl groups. It cleaved all of the ester bonds of triolein; however, the 1- or 3-ester bond was the preferred target. A complete inhibition by diisopropyl fluorophosphate suggested the presence of a serine residue at the active site. Partial inhibition was shown by either Hg²⁺ or chloramine T. Enzyme activity persisted in nonionic surfactants, a water-miscible solvent (dimethylsulfoxide), and a water-immiscible solvent (hexane).     

Lipase catalyzed formation of fatty amides

Certain lipase preparations were found to facilitate the preparation of fatty amides at 20°C in hexane. Lipase preparations investigated were from the fungiCandida rugosa, Rhizomucor miehei and porcine pancreas. Reactants were various primary alkylamines and fatty acid methyl esters or triglycerides. Moderate yields of fatty amides were obtained using aR. miehei lipase preparation which is immobilized on a solid support as catalyst, although all three lipase preparations showed some catalytic activity under these conditions and, in addition, showed different kinds of selectivity for fatty acid and alkylamine chain lengths. No reaction was observed in similar experiments using one fatty acid as the substrate or one secondary amine.     

Thermal Stability of Immobilized Lipase from Candida antarctica in Glycerols with Various Water Contents at Elevated Temperatures

The immobilized lipase from Candida antarctica (fraction B, CALB) was incubated in glycerols with various water contents at 80–100 °C to measure the residual activity as a function of time. The glycerol-containing water stabilized the immobilized CALB, especially at 30–60 wt% water contents. The thermal inactivation behaviors of the immobilized CALB were expressed by a model in which the free energy of activation for the inactivation of the immobilized lipase molecules obeyed a Gaussian distribution.     

Triglyceride interesterification by lipases. 1. Cocoa butter equivalents from a fraction of palm oil

Twelve commercially available triacylglycerol lipase preparations were screened for their suitability as catalysts in the interesterification of palm oil mid fraction and ethyl stearate to form a cocoa butter equivalent. Five fungal lipase preparations were found to be suitable. The hydrolytic activity of the commercial lipase preparations was tested with sunflower seed oil and was independent of their interesterification activity. The operational stability of three of the preparations most suited for production of cocoa butter equivalents was examined. The amount of a commercial lipase preparation loaded onto a support was surveyed for optimum short-term catalytic activity. The influence of solvent concentration on the reaction rate and the purity of the product was examined at two temperatures. The optimum solvent concentration at 40°C was 1–1.5 grams of solvent/gram of substrate; at 60°C, the rate of interesterification diminished and the purity of the product decreased with increasing amounts of solvent. Four of the commercial lipase preparations found to be suitable interesterification catalysts were immobilized on five supports and their ability to catalyze the interesterification of a triglyceride and palmitic acid or ethyl palmitate was measured. The choice of support and substrate form (esterified or free fatty acid) greatly affected the catalytic activity. Some preparations were more affected by the choice of support, others by the form of the substrate. No preparation yielded maximum activity on all supports, and no support was found which produced an immobilized enzyme preparation of high activity with every commercial lipase preparation. Caution is advised in transferring observations about the suitability of a support from tests on one commerical enzyme preparation to others; individual testing is required.     

Production of FAME from acid oil model using immobilized <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida antarctica</Emphasis> lipase

Acid oil is a by-product in the neutralization step of vegetable oil refining and is an alternative source of biodiesel fuel. A model substrate of acid oil, which is composed of TAG and FFA, was used in experiments on the conversion to FAME by immobilized Candida antarctica lipase. FFA in the mixture of TAG/FFA were efficiently esterified with methanol (MeOH), but the water generated by the esterification significantly inhibited methanolysis of TAG. We thus attempted to convert a mixture of TAG/FFA to FAME by a two-step process comprising methyl esterification of FFA and methanolysis of TAG by immobilized C. antarctica lipase. The first reaction was conducted at 30°C in a mixture of TAG/FFA (1∶1, wt/wt) and 10 wt% MeOH using 0.5 wt% immobilized lipase, resulting in efficient esterification of FFA. The reaction mixture after 24 h was composed of 49.1 wt% TAG, 1.3 wt% FFA, 49.1 wt% FAME, and negligible amounts of DAG and MAG (<0.5 wt%). The reaction mixture was then dehydrated and used as a substrate for the second reaction, which was conducted at 30°C in a solution of the dehydrated mixture and 5.5 wt% MeOH using 6 wt% immobilized lipase. The activity of the lipase increased gradually when the reaction was repeated by transferring the enzyme to a fresh substrate mixture. The activity reached a maximum after 6 cycles, and the content of FAME achieved was >98.5 wt% after a 24-h reaction. The immobilized lipase was very stable in the first-and second-step reactions and could be used for >100 d without significant loss of activity.     

Solvent‐free preparation of phytosteryl esters with fatty acids from butterfat in equimolecular conditions in the presence of a lipase from Candida rugosa

BACKGROUND: Enzymatic esterification of phytosterols with fatty acids from butterfat in equimolecular conditions to produce phytosteryl esters was performed in solvent‐free medium. Commercial and immobilized Candida rugosa lipases were used as biocatalysts for the reaction. RESULTS: By this methodology, under simple and mild reaction conditions (without solvents, 50 °C and short reaction times), 94% and 99% (w/w) of phystosteroyl esters were obtained in 48 h and 9 h with the commercial and the immobilized lipase, respectively. The effects of temperature, fatty acid specificity, enzyme amount and residual activity of each lipase were also evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: The phytosteryl esters from butterfat produced in this study are expected to have lower melting point, improved oil and fat solubility and bioavailability compared to that of their corresponding free phytosterols. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Synthesis of ethyl propionate catalyzed by poly(N‐AEAAm‐co‐AAc)‐cl‐MBAm hydrogel‐immobilized lipase of Bacillus coagulans MTCC‐6375

A purified alkaline thermotolerant bacterial lipase of Bacillus coagulans MTCC‐6375 was efficiently immobilized onto poly(N‐AEAAm‐co‐AAc‐cl‐MBAm)‐hydrogel at pH 8.5 and at temperature 55°C in 16 h. The hydrogel‐bound matrix possessed 1.04 U/g (matrix) lipase activity with a specific activity of 1.8 U/mg of protein. The immobilized lipase resulted in formation of 52.5 mM of ethyl propionate (52% conversion) at 55°C in 9 h in n‐nonane. Ethanol and propionic acid when used in a ratio of 300 : 100 mM, respectively, in n‐nonane along with 10 mg of hydrogel‐bound lipase resulted in optimal synthesis of ethyl propionate (82.5 mM). Addition of molecular sieves (3 Å, 0.7 g/reaction volume) further enhanced the conversion rate to 82.4% resulting in 83.5 mM of ethyl propionate. Incubation temperature below or above 55°C had a marked effect on the synthesis of ethyl propionate. However, esterification performed in n‐heptane at 65°C resulted in 87.5 mM of ethyl propionate with a conversation rate of 89.3%. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

High‐pressure enzymatic hydrolysis of oil

The hydrolysis of sunflower and soybean oil, catalyzed by two enzymes, non‐immobilized Candida rugosa and immobilized Candida antarctica lipase, was performed at atmospheric and high‐pressure. The results showed that at atmospheric pressure between 40 °C and 60 °C initial reaction rates were influenced by the temperature variation, as expected. Due to favorable physico‐chemical properties of dense gases as reaction media, hydrolysis of soybean oil was performed in non‐conventional solvents: in supercritical (SC) CO₂ and near‐critical propane. In SC CO₂ the activity of non‐immobilized Candida rugosa lipase decreased while the reaction rates of hydrolysis catalyzed by immobilized Candida antarctica lipase were 1.5‐fold higher than at atmospheric pressure. However, the reaction rates for the hydrolyses catalyzed by both lipases, were much higher in propane than at atmospheric pressure.     

Synthesis of geranyl acetate by esterification with lipase entrapped in hybrid sol-gel formed within nonwoven fabric

Candida cylindracea lipase was entrapped in organic-inorganic hybrid sol-gel polymers made from tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and alkyltrimethoxysilanes. By forming the gels within the pores of a nonwoven polyester fabric, a novel immobilized biocatalyst in sheet configuration based on sol-gel en-trapment of the enzyme was obtained. Lipases immobilized in sol-gel matrices efficiently catalyzed the direct esterification reaction of geraniol and acetic acid in anhydrous hexane to produce geranyl acetate. The optimal formulation of the sol-gel solution for enzyme immobilization was at a 20∶1 molar ratio of water to total silane; a 4∶1 molar ratio of propyltrimethoxysilane to TMOS; hydrolysis time at 30 min; and enzyme loading of 200 mg lipase/g gel. Under these conditions, protein immobilization efficiency was 91%, and the specific activity of the immobilized enzyme was 2.6 times that of the free enzyme. Excellent thermal stability was found for the immobilized enzyme in dry form or in hexane solution in the presence of acetic acid, in which case severe inactivation of free enzyme was observed. The immobilized enzyme retained its activity after heating at 70°C for 2 h, whereas the free enzyme lost 80% of its activity.     

One‐Pot Lipase Entrapment Within Silica Particles to Prepare a Stable and Reusable Biocatalyst for Transesterification

In order to enhance the reusability, Rhizomucor miehei lipase was entrapped in a single step within silica particles having an oleic acid core (RML@SiO₂). Characterization of RML@SiO₂ by scanning and transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared studies supported the lipase immobilization within silica particles. The immobilized enzyme was employed for transesterification of cottonseed oil with methanol and ethanol. Under the optimum reaction conditions of a methanol‐to‐oil molar ratio of 12:1 or ethanol‐to‐oil molar ratio of 15:1, stirring speed of 250 revolutions/min (flask radius = 3 cm), reaction temperature of 40 °C, and biocatalyst concentration of 5 wt% (with respect to oil), more than 98 % alkyl ester yield was achieved in 16 and 24 h of reaction duration in case of methanolysis and ethanolysis, respectively. The immobilized enzyme did not require any buffer solution or organic solvent for optimum activity; hence, the produced biodiesel and glycerol were free from metal ion or organic molecule contamination. The activation energies for the immobilized enzyme‐catalyzed ethanolysis and methanolysis were found to be 34.9 ± 1.6 and 19.7 ± 1.8 kJ mol^?1, respectively. The immobilized enzyme was recovered from the reaction mixture and reused in 12 successive runs without significant loss of activity. Additionally, RML@SiO₂ demonstrated better reusability as well as stability in comparison to the native enzyme as the former did not lose the activity even upon storage at room temperature (25–30 °C) over an 8‐month period.     

Catalytic potential of a poly(AAc‐co‐HPMA‐cl MBAm)‐matrix‐immobilized lipase from a thermotolerant Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC‐4713

A purified alkaline thermo‐tolerant lipase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC‐4713 was immobilized on a series of five noble weakly hydrophilic poly(AAc‐co‐HPMA‐cl MBAm) hydrogels. The hydrogel synthesized by copolymerizing acrylic acid and 2‐hydroxy propyl methacrylate in a ratio of 5 : 1 (HG_5:1 matrix) showed maximum binding efficiency for lipase (95.3%, specific activity 1.96 IU mg^?1 of protein). The HG_5:1 immobilized lipase was evaluated for its hydrolytic potential towards p‐NPP by studying the effect of various physical parameters and salt‐ions. The immobilized lipase was highly stable and retained ～92% of its original hydrolytic activity after fifth cycle of reuse for hydrolysis of p‐nitrophenyl palmitate at pH 7.5 and temperature 55°C. However, when the effect of pH and temperature was studied on free and bound lipase, the HG_5:1 immobilized lipase exhibited a shift in optima for pH and temperature from pH 7.5 and 55°C to 8.5 and 65°C in free and immobilized lipase, respectively. At 1 mM concentration, Fe³⁺, Hg²⁺, NH₄⁺, and Al³⁺ ions promoted and Co²⁺ ions inhibited the hydrolytic activities of free as well as immobilized lipase. However, exposure of either free or immobilized lipase to any of these ions at 5 mM concentration strongly increased the hydrolysis of p‐NPP (by ～3–4 times) in comparison to the biocatalysts not exposed to any of the salt ions. The study concluded that HG_5:1 matrix efficiently immobilized lipase of P. aeruginosa MTCC‐4713, improved the stability of the immobilized biocatalyst towards a higher pH and temperature than the free enzyme and interacted with Fe³⁺, Hg²⁺, NH₄⁺, and Al³⁺ ions to promote rapid hydrolysis of the substrate (p‐NPP). © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 4252–4259, 2006     

Enzymatic modification of triolein: Incorporation of caproic and butyric acids to produce reduced-calorie structured lipids

Lipase-catalyzed acidolysis of triolein with caproic and butyric acids was performed to produce reduced-calorie structured lipids (SL). The SL were obtained by incubating a 1:4:4 mole ratio of triolein, caproic acid, and butyric acid, respectively, with 10% of lipase (w/w of total substrates) in 1.5 mL hexane at 55°C for 24 h. Of nine commercially avaialble lipases screened, IM60, which contains the lipase from Rhizomucor miehei, was the most effective and produced 13 mol% unreacted triolein, 49% disubstituted, and 38% monosubstituted triacylglycerols that contained short-chain fatty acids. The products were analyzed by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography with an evaporative light-scattering detector. Reaction parameters studied included time course, temperature, enzyme load, and substrate mole ratio. The yields obtained demonstrate that a structured lipid with long-chain and short-chain fatty acids can be synthesized by using IM60 lipase in organic medium.