Carboxymethyl cellulases active and stable at alkaline pH from alkalophilic Cephalosporium sp. RYM-202

Summary Two types of carboxymethyl cellulases (CMCases, C-I and C-II) from an alkalophilic Cephalosporium sp. RYM-202, were purified to homogeneity by a series of chromatography separations. The hydrolysis patterns revealed that the CMCases were endoenzymes. The optimum pH for C-I was 8.0 and that for C-II was 7.5–9.5. Both enzymes were stable over a wide range of pH and retained more than 80 % of their activities after exposure to pH 11 for 24 h. The CMCases were also stable in the presence of various laundry detergent components, indicating their possible application as an effective additive for laundry detergents.     

Isolation of a novel lipase producing fungal isolate Aspergillus fumigatus and production optimization of enzyme

Abstract

Fungal lipases occupy a place of prominence among biocatalysts owing to their novel, multifold applications and resistance to high temperature and other operational conditions. In the present study, Aspergillus fumigatus isolated from oil-contaminated soil produced good amount of lipase activity with galactose (1%) as carbon source and peptone (0.1%) as nitrogen source after 72?h of incubation in the production medium at 45?°C and pH 10.0. The isolated enzyme was found to give its optimum reaction temperature at 40?°C and pH 9.0 with the substrate used as p-nitrophenyl benzoate. The activity of lipase was inhibited by the presence of metal ions. A 6.68-fold increase for lipase production was obtained by one variable at a time. Based on the findings of present study, lipase of A. fumigatus is a potential lipase and a candidate for industrial applications such as bioremediation, detergent, leather and pharmaceutical industries.     

Characterisation of a detergent-stable alkaline protease from a novel thermophilic strain Paenibacillus tezpurensis sp. nov. AS-S24-II

An alkaline-protease-producing bacterial strain (AS-S24-II) isolated from a soil sample in Assam is a Gram-stain-positive, catalase-positive, endospore-forming rod and grows at temperatures ranging from 30 °C to 60 °C and salinity ranging from 0% to 7% (w/v) NaCl. Phenotypic characterisation, chemotaxonomic properties, presence of Paenibacillus-specific signature sequences, and ribotyping data suggested that the strain AS-S24-II represents a novel species of the genus Paenibacillus, for which the name Paenibacillus tezpurensis sp. nov. (MTCC 8959) is proposed. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that P. lentimorbus strain DNG-14 and P. lentimorbus strain DNG-16 represent the closest phylogenetic neighbour of this novel strain. Alkaline protease production (598 × 10³ U l⁻¹) by P. tezpurensis sp. nov. in SmF was optimised by response surface method. A laundry-detergent-stable, Ca²⁺-independent, 43-kDa molecular weight alkaline serine protease from this strain was purified with a 1.7-fold increase in specific activity. The purified protease displayed optimum activity at pH 9.5 and 45–50 °C temperature range and exhibited a significant stability and compatibility with surfactants and most of the tested commercial laundry detergents at room temperature. Further, the protease improved the wash performance of detergents, thus demonstrating its feasibility for inclusion in laundry detergent formulations.     

Efficacy of lipase from Aspergillus niger as an additive in detergent formulations: a statistical approach

The efficacy of lipase from Aspergillus niger MTCC 2594 as an additive in laundry detergent formulations was assessed using response surface methodology (RSM). A five-level four-factorial central composite design was chosen to explain the washing protocol with four critical factors, viz. detergent concentration, lipase concentration, buffer pH and washing temperature. The model suggested that all the factors chosen had a significant impact on oil removal and the optimal conditions for the removal of olive oil from cotton fabric were 1.0% detergent, 75 U of lipase, buffer pH of 9.5 and washing temperature of 25°C. Under optimal conditions, the removal of olive oil from cotton fabric was 33 and 17.1% at 25 and 49°C, respectively, in the presence of lipase over treatment with detergent alone. Hence, lipase from A. niger could be effectively used as an additive in detergent formulation for the removal of triglyceride soil both in cold and warm wash conditions.     

Purification and partial characterization of a detergent and oxidizing agent stable alkaline protease from a newly isolated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis> VSG-4 of tropical soil

An extracellular detergent tolerant protease producing strain VSG-4 was isolated from tropical soil sample and identified as Bacillus subtilis based on morphological, biochemical characteristics as well as 16S-rRNA gene sequencing. The VSG-4 protease was purified to homogeneity using ammonium sulphate precipitation, dialysis and sephadex G-200 gel permeation chromatography with a 17.4 purification fold. The purified enzyme was active and stable over a broad range of pH (8.0–11.0, optimum at 9.0) and temperature (40°C to 60°C, optimum at 50°C). The thermostability of the enzyme was significantly increased by the addition CaCl₂. This enzyme was strongly inhibited by PMSF and DFP, suggesting that it belongs to the serine protease superfamily. The purified VSG-4 alkaline protease showed remarkable stability in anionic (5 mM SDS) and ionic (1% Trion X-100 and 1% Tween 80) detergents. It retained 97±2% and 83.6±1.1% of its initial activity after 1 h preincubation in the presence of 1 % H₂O₂ and 1 % sodium perborate, respectively. Furthermore, the purified enzyme showed excellent stability and compatibility with some commercial laundry detergents besides its stain removal capacity. Considering these promising properties, VSG-4 protease may find tremendous application in laundry detergent formulations.     

A novel thermostable lipase from Basidiomycete <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bjerkandera adusta </Emphasis>R59: characterisation and esterification studies

Microbial lipases are widely diversified in their enzymatic properties and substrate specificities, which make them very attractive for industrial application. Partially purified lipase from Bjerkandera adusta R59 was immobilized on controlled porous glass (CPG) and its properties were compared with those of the free enzyme. The free and immobilized lipases showed optimal activities at 45 and 50°C, respectively. Both enzyme forms were highly thermostable up to 60°C. The enzymes were stable at pH from 6.0 to 9.0 and their optimal pH for activity was 7.0. The free lipase was more thermostable in n-hexane than in aqueous environment. Both lipase preparations had good stabilities in non-polar solvents and were capable of hydrolysing a variety of synthetic and natural fats. Non-immobilized lipase activity was inhibited by disulphide bond reagents, serine and thiol inhibitors, while EDTA and eserine had no effect on enzyme activity. All anionic detergents tested in experiments inhibited lipase activity. The free lipase showed good stability in the presence of commercial detergents at laundry pH and temperatures. Applications of free and immobilized lipases for esterification were also presented.     

Purification and characterization of alkaline soda-bleach stable protease from Bacillus sp. APP-07 isolated from Laundromat soil

The detergent-compatible alkaline protease was produced from the bacterial strain Bacillus sp. APP-07 isolated from Laundromat soil of Solapur, Maharashtra, India. The culture was grown in 1000?ml capacity baffled flask with a working volume of 100?ml and incubated at 55?°C for 33?h on a rotary shaker. After incubation, alkaline protease was partially purified by the sequential method of acetone precipitation followed by nominal molecular weight limit (NMWL) cut-off ultrafiltration using 50?K and 10?K filters. Finally, Sephadex G-100 gel filtration chromatographic purification was performed to obtain 3.12 fold purified alkaline protease enzyme with a 66.67% final yield. The purified enzyme showed 31907.269 units (U) of enzyme activity containing 8741.718?U/mg of specific enzyme activity. The molecular weight of the enzyme was confirmed about 33.0?kDa (kDa) by the SDS-PAGE analysis. The purified enzyme was stable at higher pH and temperature range, with an optimum pH 10.5 and temperature 55?°C. The enzyme showed excellent stability and compatibility in various detergents, surfactants, bleach, and oxidizing agents. The enzyme activity enhanced in the presence of Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, and surfactants, whereas; the phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride (PMSF) and Diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) completely inhibit the enzymatic activity, which pointed out that the enzyme affiliated to serine-centered metalloproteases family.In conclusion, the remarkable tolerance and stability of the enzyme explored the promising candidature for the several potential applications in the laundry detergents. The sustainability of the enzyme might serve several possible applications in the laundry detergents, leather industries, and other harsh industrial processes.     

Aggregation properties of cold-active lipase produced by a psychrotolerant strain of Pseudomonas palleroniana (GBPI_508)

Abstract

The present study aims to exploit microbial potential from colder region to produce lipase enzyme stable at low temperatures. A newly isolated bacterium GBPI_508 from Himalayan environment, was investigated for the production of cold-active lipase emphasizing on its aggregation properties. Plate based assays followed by quantitative production of enzyme was estimated under different culture conditions. Further characterization of partially purified enzyme was done for molecular weight determination and activity and stability under varying conditions of pH, temperature, and in presence of organic solvents, inhibitors, and metal ions. The psychrotolerant bacterium was identified as Pseudomonas palleroniana following 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Maximum lipase production by GBPI_508 was recorded in 7?days at 25?°C utilizing yeast extract as nitrogen source and olive oil as substrate in the lipase production medium. Triton X-100 (1%) in the medium as emulsifier significantly enhanced the lipase production. Lipase produced by bacterium showed aggregation which was confirmed by dynamic light scattering and native PAGE. SDS-PAGE followed by zymogram analysis of partially purified enzyme showed two active bands of ～50?kDa and ～54?kDa. Optimum activity of partially purified enzymatic preparation was recorded at 40?°C while the activity remained nearly consistent from pH 7.0 to 12.0, whereas, maximum stability was recorded at pH values 7.0 and 11.0 at 25?°C. Interestingly, lipase in the partially purified fraction retained 60% enzyme activity at 10?°C. Medium chain pNP ester (C10) was the most preferred substrate for the lipase of GBPI_508. The lipase possessed >50% residual activity when incubated with different organic solvents (25% v/v) except toluene and dichloromethane which inhibited the activity below 50%. Partially purified enzyme was also stable in the presence of metal ions and inhibitors. The study suggests applicability of GBPI_508 lipase in low temperature conditions such as cold-active detergent formulations and cold bioremediation.     

Alkaline protease from Thermoactinomyces sp. RS1 mitigates industrial pollution

Proteases have found a wide application in the several industrial processes, such as laundry detergents, protein recovery or solubilization, prion degradation, meat tenderizations, and in bating of hides and skins in leather industries. But the main hurdle in industrial application of proteases is their economical production on a large scale. The present investigation aimed to exploit the locally available inexpensive agricultural and household wastes for alkaline protease production using Thermoactinomyces sp. RS1 via solid-state fermentation (SSF) technique. The alkaline enzyme is potentially useful as an additive in commercial detergents to mitigate pollution load due to extensive use of caustic soda-based detergents. Thermoactinomyces sp. RS1 showed good protease production under SSF conditions of 55 °C, pH 9, and 50 % moisture content with potato peels as solid substrate. The presented findings revealed that crude alkaline protease produced by Thermoactinomyces sp. RS1 via SSF is of potential application in silver recovery from used X-ray films.     

Purification and characterization of cutinase from Bacillus sp. KY0701 isolated from plastic wastes

A total of approximately 400 bacterial strains were isolated from 73 plastic wastes collected from 14 different regions. Nineteen isolates that form clear zones both on tributyrin and poly ε-caprolactone (PCL) agar, were identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Among these, Bacillus sp. KY0701 that caused the highest weight loss of PCL films in minimal salt medium, was selected for cutinase production. The highest enzyme activity (15 U/mL) was obtained after 4 days of incubation at 50°C, pH 7.0 and 200?rpm in a liquid medium containing 1.5% (w/v) apple cutin and 0.1% (w/v) yeast extract. The purified enzyme was stable at high temperatures (50–70°C) and over a wide pH range (5.5–9.0). The relative activity of cutinase was at least 75% in the percent of various organic solvents. The apparent K_m and V_max values of the cutinase for p-nitrophenyl butyrate were 0.72?mM and 336.8?µmol p-nitrophenol/h/g, respectively. In addition, it showed high stability and compatibility with commercial detergents. These features of cutinase obtained from Bacillus sp. KY0701 make it a promising candidate for application in the detergent and chemical industries. In our best knowledge, this is the first report for cutinase production and characterization produced by a Bacillus strain.     

Screening of filamentous fungi for lipase production: Hypocrea pseudokoningii a new producer with a high biotechnological potential

Abstract

Filamentous fungi isolated from soil samples were screened for extracellular lipase production. The best producer was Hypocrea pseudokoningii identified by taxonomical criteria, and by rDNA sequencing of the variable internal transcribed spacers (ITS I and II) and the intervening 5.8S gene. The fungus was grown in a complex medium supplemented with 1% Tween 80 and 0.2% yeast extract, for 4 days. The optimum pH for extracellular and intracellular lipases was 7.0 and 8.0, respectively. Both enzymes exhibited maximum activity at 40°C. Extracellular and intracellular lipase activities were highly stable in the pH range 3.0–8.0 at room temperature. The intracellular lipase was thermostable up to 60°C, for 15 min and the extracellular, for 107 min, at the same temperature. The intracellular lipase was stimulated by silver ions. Extracellular lipase was stable in organic solvents, such as DMSO, alcohols, acetone, and acetonitrile, for 24 hours. Lipase activity increased around 80% when detergents were added to the enzymatic assay, such as Tween 80, Triton X-100, and SDS.     

COST-EFFECTIVE ENDO-MANNANASE FROM Bacillus sp. CFR1601 AND ITS APPLICATION IN GENERATION OF OLIGOSACCHARIDES FROM GUAR GUM AND AS DETERGENT ADDITIVE

The indigenous bacteria Bacillus sp. CFR1601 produced significant levels of endo-mannanase when grown on agro-wastes, namely, green gram husk and sunflower oil cake (25.6 IU/mL), used as sole carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. Under immobilized cell system, synthetic supports (polyurethane foam, scotch brite, polyester; up to 33.2 IU/mL) were found marginally superior as compared to natural supports (cotton and silk; up to 28.2 IU/mL) for endo-mannanase production. Cooperative interactions between L-lysine HCl (0.3% w/v), Tween 60 (0.3% v/v), and sunflower oil cake (3.0% w/v) in central composite design response surface methodology ameliorated (1.61-fold) endo-mannanase titers to 48.0 IU/mL. Partially purified endo-mannanase was tested for its ability to produce oligosaccharides from guar gum. These oligosaccharides were tested in vitro for their ability to promote growth of Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC 5422 and Lactobacillus salivarius CHS 1E. Results indicated that low-molecular-weight degraded products from guar gum were (1) able to support the growth of tested strains [increased O.D_600nm up to 2.3-fold and decrease in pH (<6.3) due to production of short chain fatty acid (SCFA)] when used as sole carbon source; and (2) after purification and analysis by electron spray ionization–mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) were found to be composed of mainly disaccharide and tetrasaccharide. The compatibility of endo-mannanase with various detergents together with wash performance test confirmed its potential applicability for laundry industry.     

Production,characterization, and immobilization of partially purified surfactant–detergent and alkali-thermostable protease from newly isolated Aeromonas caviae

Proteolytic Aeromonas caviae P-1-1 growing at wide-ranging pH (7.0–11.0) and moderate salinity (0–5% NaCl) was isolated from cattle shed of Thanjavur, India. It produced lipase, gelatinase, and polyhydroxybutyrate. Different culture conditions, incubation time, carbon and nitrogen sources, vitamins, amino acids, surfactants, and metal ions for optimal growth and protease production of P-1-1 were examined. Maximum protease (0.128?U/mL) production was achieved with 1% fructose, 1% yeast extract, 0.1% ammonium sulfate, 3% NaCl, 0.1% CaCl₂?·?2H₂O, 1% glycine, 0.1% vitamin E, and 0.1% Tween-40 at pH 8.0 after 42?hr of incubation at 37°C. It was active over broad range of pH (7.0–12.0), temperature (15–100°C), and salinity (0–9% NaCl) with optima at pH 10.0, 55°C, and 3% NaCl. It retained 65 and 48% activities at pH 12.0 and 100°C, respectively. Partially purified protease was highly stable (100%) within pH range 7.0–12.0 and salinities of 0–5% NaCl for 48?hr. Cu²⁺, Mn²⁺, Co²⁺, and Ca²⁺ did not inhibit its activity. Its stability at extreme pHs, temperatures, and in the presence of surfactants and commercial detergents suggests its possible application in laundry detergents. Partially purified protease was immobilized and reused. This is the first report of alkali-thermotolerant, surfactant–detergent-stable partially purified extracellular protease from A. caviae.     

Immobilization in the presence of Triton X-100: modifications in activity and thermostability of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Geobacillus thermoleovorans</Emphasis> CCR11 lipase

A partially purified lipase produced by the thermophile Geobacillus thermoleovorans CCR11 was immobilized by adsorption on porous polypropylene (Accurel EP-100) in the presence and absence of 0.1% Triton X-100. Lipase production was induced in a 2.5% high oleic safflower oil medium and the enzyme was partially purified by diafiltration (co. 500,000 Da). Immobilization conditions were established at 25 °C, pH 6, and a protein concentration of 0.9 mg/mL in the presence and absence of 0.1% Triton X-100. Immobilization increased enzyme thermostability but there was no change in neither the optimum pH nor in pH resistance irrelevant to the presence of the detergent during immobilization. Immobilization with or without Triton X-100 allowed the reuse of the lipase preparation for 11 and 8 cycles, respectively. There was a significant difference between residual activity of immobilized and soluble enzyme after 36 days of storage at 4 °C (P < 0.05). With respect to chain length specificity, the immobilized lipase showed less activity over short chain esters than the soluble lipase. The immobilized lipase showed good resistance to desorption with phosphate buffer and NaCl; minor loses with detergents were observed (less than 50% with Triton X-100 and Tween-80), but activity was completely lost with SDS. Immobilization of G. thermoleovorans CCR11 lipase in porous polypropylene is a simple and easy method to obtain a biocatalyst with increased stability, improved performance, with the possibility for re-use, and therefore an interesting potential use in commercial conditions.     

Purification and biochemical characterization of an organic solvent-tolerant and detergent-stable lipase from Staphylococcus capitis

A mesophilic bacterial culture, producing an extracellular alkaline lipase, was isolated from the gas-washing wastewaters generated from the Sfax phosphate plant of the Tunisian Chemical Group and identified as Staphylococcus capitis strain. The lipase, named S. capitis lipase (SCL), has been purified to homogeneity from the culture medium. The purified enzyme molecular weight was around 45 kDa. Specific activities about 3,900 and 500 U/mg were measured using tributyrin and olive oil emulsion as substrates, respectively at 37°C and pH 8.5. Interestingly, the SCL maintained more than 60% of its initial activity over a wide pH values ranging from 5 to 11 with a high stability between pH 9 and 11 after 1 hr of incubation at room temperature. The lipase activity was enhanced in the presence of 2 mM of Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, and K⁺. SCL showed significant stability in the presence of detergents and organic solvents. Altogether, these features make the SCL useful for industrial applications. Besides, SCL was compatible with commercially available detergents, and its incorporation increases lipid degradation performances making it a potential candidate in detergent formulation.     

Study on the potential of cold-active lipases from psychrotrophic fungi for detergent formulation

Lipases from psychrotrophic fungal isolates BPF4 and BPF6 identified as Penicilium canesense and Pseudogymnoascus roseus respectively were characterized for their compatibility towards laundry detergent. BPF4 and BPF6 lipases showed maximum activity at pH 11 and 9 respectively and at 40?°C. The residual activities at 20?°C and 4?°C of BPF4 lipase were 35% and 20% and of BPF6 lipase were 70% and 20?°C respectively. Both the enzymes were stable at 4?°C, 20?°C and 40?°C for 2?h losing at the most 20% of activities. Both the enzymes were metalloenzymes with activity enhancement by nearly threefold by Ca²⁺. Contrary to BPF6 lipase, BPF4 enzyme was not stimulated by EDTA nor inhibited, rather stimulated by SDS and Triton X-100 by 125% and 330% respectively. Both the lipases showed minor to moderate inhibition by NaClO₃ and H₂O₂, and exhibited nearly 90% residual activity after 1?h of incubation in selected detergent brands thus indicating potential for their inclusion in detergent formulation thereby facilitating cold-washing as a step towards mitigation of climate change.     

Potential application of cyclic lipopeptide biosurfactants produced by Bacillus subtilis strains in laundry detergent formulations

AIMS: Crude cyclic lipopeptide (CLP) biosurfactants from two Bacillus subtilis strains (DM-03 and DM-04) were studied for their compatibility and stability with some locally available commercial laundry detergents. METHODS AND RESULTS: CLP biosurfactants from both B. subtilis strains were stable over the pH range of 7.0-12.0, and heating them at 80 degrees C for 60 min did not result in any loss of their surface-active property. Crude CLP biosurfactants showed good emulsion formation capability with vegetable oils, and demonstrated excellent compatibility and stability with all the tested laundry detergents. CONCLUSION: CLP biosurfactants from B. subtilis strains act additively with other components of the detergents to further improve the wash quality of detergents. The thermal resistance and extreme alkaline pH stability of B. subtilis CLP biosurfactants favour their inclusion in laundry detergent formulations. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study has great significance because it is already known that microbial biosurfactants are considered safer alternative to chemical or synthetic surfactants owing to lower toxicity, ease of biodegradability and low ecological impact. The present study provides further evidence that CLP biosurfactants from B. subtilis strains can be employed in laundry detergents.     

Alkaline detergent enzymes from alkaliphiles: enzymatic properties, genetics, and structures

The cleaning power of detergents seems to have peaked; all detergents contain similar ingredients and are based on similar detergency mechanisms. To improve detergency, modern types of heavy-duty powder detegents and automatic dishwasher detergents usually contain one or more enzymes, such as protease, amylase, cellulase, and lipase. Alkaliphilic Bacillus strains are often good sources of alkaline extracellular enzymes, the properties of which fulfil the essential requirements for enzymes to be used in detergents. We have isolated numbers of alkaliphilic Bacillus that produce such alkaline detergent enzymes, including cellulase (CMCase), protease, α-amylase, and debranching enzymes, and have succeeded in large-scale industrial production of some of these enzymes. Here, we describe the enzymatic properties, genetics, and structures of the detergent enzymes that we have developed. Received: January 22, 1998 / Accepted: February 16, 1998     

Deuterated detergents for structural and functional studies of membrane proteins: Properties,chemical synthesis and applications

Abstract

Detergents are amphiphilic compounds that have crucial roles in the extraction, purification and stabilization of integral membrane proteins and in experimental studies of their structure and function. One technique that is highly dependent on detergents for solubilization of membrane proteins is solution-state NMR spectroscopy, where detergent micelles often serve as the best membrane mimetic for achieving particle sizes that tumble fast enough to produce high-resolution and high-sensitivity spectra, although not necessarily the best mimetic for a biomembrane. For achieving the best quality NMR spectra, detergents with partial or complete deuteration can be used, which eliminate interfering proton signals coming from the detergent itself and also eliminate potential proton relaxation pathways and strong dipole-dipole interactions that contribute line broadening effects. Deuterated detergents have also been used to solubilize membrane proteins for other experimental techniques including small angle neutron scattering and single-crystal neutron diffraction and for studying membrane proteins immobilized on gold electrodes. This is a review of the properties, chemical synthesis and applications of detergents that are currently commercially available and/or that have been synthesized with partial or complete deuteration. Specifically, the detergents are sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), lauryldimethylamine-oxide (LDAO), n-octyl-β-D-glucoside (β-OG), n-dodecyl-β-D-maltoside (DDM) and fos-cholines including dodecylphosphocholine (DPC). The review also considers effects of deuteration, detergent screening and guidelines for detergent selection. Although deuterated detergents are relatively expensive and not always commercially available due to challenges associated with their chemical synthesis, they will continue to play important roles in structural and functional studies of membrane proteins, especially using solution-state NMR.     

Biocatalytic potential of lipase from Staphylococcus sp. MS1 for transesterification of jatropha oil into fatty acid methyl esters

An extracellular lipase producing isolate Staphylococcus sp. MS1 was optimized for lipase production and its biocatalytic potential was assessed. Medium with tributyrin (0.25 %) and without any exogenous inorganic nitrogen source was found to be optimum for lipase production from Staphylococcus sp. MS1. The optimum pH and temperature for lipase production were found to be pH 7 and 37 °C respectively, showing lipase activity of 37.91 U. It showed good lipase production at pH 6–8. The lipase was found to be stable in organic solvents like hexane and petroleum ether, showing 98 and 88 % residual activity respectively. The biotransformation using the concentrated enzyme in petroleum ether resulted in the synthesis of fatty acid methyl esters like methyl oleate, methyl palmitate and methyl stearate. Thus, the lipase under study has got the potential to bring about transesterification of oils into methyl esters which can be exploited for various biotechnological applications.