Purification and specificity of lipases fromGeotrichum candidum

A crude, commercialGeotrichum candidum lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) preparation (Amano GC-20) was purified by hydrophobic interaction chromatography on Octyl Sepharose. The purified enzyme is a microheterogeneous glycoprotein containing isozymes varying in molecular weight, pI and specificity. It consists of 64, 62 and 59 kDa species as determined by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Five isozymes (pI 4.40, 4.47, 4.58, 4.67 and 4.72) are detected by isoelectric focusing using both silver and activity stains. Chromatofocusing was used to separate the isozymes according to pI. Although all the isozymes are specific for oleatevs stearate esters, one isozyme (pI 4.72) is also specific for oleatevs palmitate. The number of isozymes is reduced to two (pI 4.67 and 4.72) after carbohydrate removal using endoglycosidase F/N-glycosidase. These isozymes may be products of two lipase genes.