Production and properties of an alkaline, thermophilic lipase from Pseudomonas fluorescens NS2W.

Eighteen bacterial strains were isolated from soil samples and screened for alkaline, thermophilic lipase production. Pseudomonas fluorescens NS2W was selected and its production of lipase was optimized in shake flasks using a statistical experimental design. Cell growth and lipase production were studied in shake flasks and in a 1-l fermenter in the optimized medium. Maximum lipase yields were 69.7 and 68.7 U ml(-1), respectively. The optimized medium resulted in about a five-fold increase in the enzyme production, compared to that obtained in the basal medium. The lipase had an optimal activity at pH 9.0 and was stable over a wide pH range of 3-11 with more than 70% activity retention. The lipase had an optimal activity at 55 degrees C and was stable up to 60 degrees C with more than 70% activity retention for at least 2 h.