AN ESTEROLYTIC ACTIVITY FROM A WILD EDIBLE MUSHROOM, LYCOPERDON PERLATUM

Lycoperdon perlatum Pers. (Lycoperdaceae, Agaricales, Agaricomycetidae, Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota, Fungi) was evaluated for its esterolytic potential. Native electrophoresis of the crude extracts showed four bands having Rf values of 0.34, 0.39, 0.52 and 0.59. The esterase showed the highest activity toward a short-chain substrate, p -nitrophenyl acetate. Optimum reaction conditions for L. perlatum crude extract were attained at pH 8.0 and 40C. Esterolytic activity of enzyme extract was stimulated in the presence of Mn^{2 +} , Fe^{2 +} , Ca^{2 +} and Zn^{2 +} in the reaction mixture. The enzyme activity was stimulated by incubation at pH 6.0 but retained 77% of its original activity at its optimum pH after 24 h. Thermal inactivation was displayed after incubation for 20 min at various temperatures above 30C. At 1 mM final concentration, 2-mercaptoethanol, dithiothreitol, ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid and p -methylphenyl sulfonylfluoride inhibited the esterolytic reaction. These results support that the crude L. perlatum extract possesses an esterolytic activity having properties similar to other esterases.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Esterases catalyzing the cleavage and formation of ester bonds are known α/β-hydrolases (EC 3.1.1.X). Esterases are used for the synthesis of flavor esters for the food industry, modification of triglycerides for fat and oil industry and resolution of racemic mixtures used for the synthesis of fine chemicals for the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, the search for new enzyme sources is important for the development of new enzymes and applications.