The lipase activity of a partially purified lipolytic enzyme of Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli lipase was found to have a broad pH optimum between pH 8 and 10. Long-chain acyl triacylglycerols such as trioleoylglycerol were hydrolysed at a relatively slow rate, whereas, the shorter-chain acyl derivative tricapryloylglycerol was not. Triacylglycerols and diacylglycerols were broken down at a rate 10- to 15-fold greater than that for monoacylglycerol. Simple esters such as methyloieate and cetylpalmitate were hydrolysed at rates greater than that of triacylglycerol. Water-soluble esters such as p-nitrophenylacetate were not attacked. Hydrolysis of lipase substrates occurred more readily in the presence of an anionic detergent such as taurocholate. The enzyme had no marked preference for the 1- or 3-position of triacylglycerols but attacked these positions much more readily than position 2. The enzyme also catalyzed transacylation reactions with simple alcohols such as methanol or ethanol.