Lipase production by Fusarium sp. in different nitrogen sources.

• Grant number: 11/06670-2
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2011
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal researcher: Valéria Marta Gomes de Lima
• Grantee: Ana Helena Portugal Gouvea Luques
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Lipases (EC3.1.1.3) are enzymes that act on carboxylic ester bonds, allowing hydrolysis to occur followed by the release of organic acids and glycerol, making it important for industrial applications such as pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, leather, paper, treatment residue, processing of oils and fats, among others. The activation of lipase is possible by adsorption on an oil-water interface, and allows it actions in mild conditions of temperature and neutral pH, with ability to perform reactions in organic media that operate with limited amount of water. Besides the hydrolysis can be obtained interesterification and transesterification from the enzyme in aqueous media. Fusarium sp., filamentous fungus, used in recent studies at the Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology (Unesp - Campus de Assis) demonstrated the production of lipase with great potential for application in industries, including stability in the presence of methanol, and activity at alkaline pH in the presence of surfactants, the latter being considered variables that influence the production of the enzyme, in addition to aeration, rotation condition and nitrogen sources (organic and inorganic). Properties like these have made possible, in the present work to pursue further studies of lipase to the variation of nitrogen sources for obtaining the enzyme in submerged fermentation, obtained from Fusarium sp. accompanied by a CCRD experimental design to analyze the source with best result.