Lipase ─ An Industrial Enzyme Through Metagenomics

Microbial lipases are industrially important and have gained their attention due to their stability, selectivity, and broad substrate specificity. Lipases are used as a medicine and also aid in indigestion, heartburn, allergy to gluten in wheat products (celiac disease), Crohn’s disease, and cystic fibrosis. This new volume, Lipase: An Industrial Enzyme Through Metagenomics, considers the industrial demand for new sources of lipases with different catalytic characteristics that stimulate the growth and development isolation of new strains. The volume narrates the challenging metagenomic approach with the isolation of the lipase gene, its cloning into Escherichia coli, culture of the recombinant bacteria, and extraction and assessment of the lipase enzyme.

Lipase-producing bacteria have been found in different habitats, such as industrial wastes, vegetable oil processing factories, dairy plants, and soils contaminated with oil and oil seeds among others. This volume is the effort of the authors to document the scientific findings carried out over the last eight years in the area of un-culturable soil microorganisms.

The book presents the physicochemical features of lipases and their specific applications in different commercial industries. The in-depth study looks at metagenomics for lipases from all angles and provides a truly informative resource. It describes the biochemical characterization of lipase enzymes with the high activity in the presence of 1% tributyrin. The book also highlights the maximum activity of the enzyme at temperature 37°C and pH 7.5 in the presence of the divalent cations Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Fe²⁺. CTAB, gum arabic, NaCl and organic solvents like ethanol, 1-propanol, acetone, acetonitrile, glycerol and DMSO.

A wide review has been presented in the book on lipase enzymes purified from a large collection of microbes present in soil, seawater, waste-dumping sites, animal systems (including human beings), and the atmosphere. Stability of enzymes over changing environments of the industry is indeed a big issue, and the book deals at length with the changing temperatures and pH and metal ion concentrations. The book also highlights the antifungal and antibacterial activity of the lipase enzyme.

B. K. Konwar, PhD, is currently Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechechnology at Tezpur University (Central), Assam, India. He obtained his MSc agricultural degree in plant breeding and genetics from Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, India. He has worked as a lecturer, assistant professor, and associate professor at the university. His PhD in plant biotechnology is from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of London, United Kingdom. He was formerly affiliated with the Tocklai Experimental Station, Tea Research Association, Jorhat, Assam, India, as a Senior Scientist (Botany and Biotechnology). Other appointments include Professor and Department Head, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at Tezpur University (Central), Napaam, Tezpur, Assam, India; Head of the Centre for Petroleum Biotechnology, DBT (DST, Govt of India; Dean, School of Science and Technology, Tezpur University; and Vice-Chancellor, Nagaland University (Central), HQ: Lumami (campuses: Meriema, Medziphema, Dimapur), Nagaland, India.

Dr. Konwar has carried out 12 research projects of national importance as the principal investigator and has supervised over 40 MSc students who carried out research projects at Assam Agricultural University and Tezpur University. He and his research group so far deposited 11 gene (DNA) sequences in national/international gene banks and have published 139 research papers in reputed and impact factor bearing (1-6) international/national journals, along with many papers in seminars and onference proceedings in India and abroad. He published more than 130 popular science, environment, biotechnology, history, national integration, higher education, research needs, and other articles in various Assamese magazines and newspapers, as well as more than 30 scientific articles in English magazines in addition to several books, booklets, and book chapters.

Kalpana Sagar, PhD, is currently a Research Associate at Delhi University. She earned her PhD in molecular biology and biotechnology from Tezpur University under the supervision of Prof. B. K. Konwar.