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Defining Substrate Specificities for Lipase and Phospholipase Candidates

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Published on: November 23, 2016

Advances in lipase-catalyzed esterification reactions.

Panagiota-Yiolanda Stergiou¹, Athanasios Foukis, Michalis Filippou

¹University of Ioannina, Department of Chemistry, Group of Enzyme Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Ioannina 45110, Greece.

Biotechnology Advances

|August 20, 2013

Summary

Lipase-catalyzed esterification is crucial for industrial applications like biofuel production. This review evaluates trends, factors affecting enzymatic esterification, and biocatalysis using whole cells or purified lipases.

Keywords:

Biofuel Ester yield Esterification Influence of pH Lipase immobilization Lipases Water activity Whole cell biocatalysis

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Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Chemical Engineering
Industrial Biotechnology

Background:

Lipase-catalyzed esterification is a significant industrial process.
Organic esters are increasingly used in biotechnology and the chemical industry.
Lipases function in multi-phase environments where reactant distribution changes.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide a comprehensive review of enzymatic esterification trends and perspectives.
To focus on biofuel production applications.
To highlight factors influencing lipase-catalyzed esterification.

Main Methods:

Review of applied trends and perspectives in enzymatic esterification.
Evaluation of factors affecting lipase-catalyzed reactions.
Review of whole-cell and purified lipase biocatalysis from bacterial and fungal sources.

Main Results:

Enzymatic esterification, particularly for biofuel production, is a key area of research.
Understanding factors influencing reaction kinetics is essential.
Both whole-cell and purified lipases offer viable biocatalysis options.

Conclusions:

Lipase-catalyzed esterification is vital for industrial applications, especially biofuels.
Further research into reaction kinetics and optimization is warranted.
Bacterial and fungal lipases, in various forms, are effective biocatalysts.