Trends in lipase engineering for enhanced biocatalysis.

Lipases, also known as triacylglycerol hydrolases (E.C.No. 3.1.1.3), are considered as leading biocatalysts in the lipid modification business. With properties like ease of availability, capability to work in heterogeneous media, stability in organic solvents, property of catalyzing at the lipid-water interface and even in nonaqueous conditions, have made them a versatile choice for applications in the food, flavor, detergent, pharmaceutical, leather, textile, cosmetic, and paper industries [1]. The increasing alertness toward sustainable technologies, lesser waste generation and solvent usage and minimization of energy input has brought light toward the production and usage of recombinant/improved lipases. For example, Novozym 435, a broadly used recombinant lipase isolated from Candida antarctica, dominates the lipase industry and has even created a supplier bias in the market. This shows that there is a desperate need for novel, low-cost lipases with better properties. For this, mining of existing extremophilic genomes seems more rewarding. But considering the diversity of industrial requirements such as types of solvents used or carrier systems employed for enzyme immobilization, tailor-designed enzymes are an unrealized pressing priority. Therefore, protein engineering strategies in collaboration with the discovery of new lipases can serve as a vital tool to obtain tailor-made enzymes with specific characteristics.