Influence of cultural conditions on growth and lipolytic activity in Nocardia asteroides

The growth and the production of extracellular and intracellular lipases were measured from Nocardia asteroides grown under different cultural conditions. Maximal growth and intracellular and extracellular activities were observed at 3 d after inoculation. Among the tested media, synthetic medium induced maximal growth and extracellular activity, whereas tryptic soy broth induced the maximal intracellular lipase activity. The best carbon and nitrogen sources for growth and lipolytic activity were glucose, fructose, glutamate and nitrate, respectively. The optimal C:N ratio for growth was in the range of 1:4 to 2:3 and for lipase activity the range was 2:3 to 3:2. Anything above or below this range was detrimental to the organism and its enzyme activity. Under the conditions of this study, N. asteroides grew best and had the highest lipase activity when compared to N. brasiliensis and N. caviae.