Characteristics of Lipase Modified with Water-soluble Acylating Reagents and Its Esterification Ability

Abstract

Lip was modified with various hydrophobic groups, such as Z, Boc, lauroyl, and palmitoyl, using water-soluble acylating reagents. The chemical modification enhanced the dispersibility of Lip in organic solvents, and changed the substrate selectivity, which depends on the length of the carbon chain of triglycerides in hydrolytic reactions. As for the synthesis of triglycerides, Z-modified Lip catalyzed this reaction faster than unmodified Lip. Z-, Boc-, and fatty acid-modified Lips also catalyzed diverse esterification reactions including that of ethyl eicosapentaenoate, lactose oleate, and cholesterol oleate, and the yields of these reactions increased depending on the carbon number of the introducing group.