Biochemical studies on fungal lipase via solid-state fermentation
Today, lipases stand as one of the most important biocatalysts catalyzed several of novel reactions in aqueous and nonaqueous media. This can be primarily due to their ability to employ a wide spectrum of substrates, high stability towards extremes of temperature, pH and organic solvents, and chemo-, regio- and enantioselectivity. Lately, the resolution of their three-dimensional structure has thrown light to their unique structure-function relationship. Among lipases of plant, animal and microbial origin, the microbial lipases that find immense application. It is because the microbes can easily be cultivated in addition to can catalyze several of hydrolytic and synthetic reactions. Lipases find uses in many different biotechnological fields, for example food and dairy industries (cheese ripening, flavour development and others), detergent, pharmaceutical (naproxen, ibuprofen), agrochemical (insecticide, pesticide) and oleochemical (fat and oil hydrolysis, biosurfactant synthesis) industries. Lipases may be further exploited in several of newer areas that they can serve as potential biocatalysts (Saxena et al., 2003).