Production of an acidic and thermostable lipase of the mesophilic fungus Penicillium simplicissimum by solid-state fermentation.

The production of a lipase by a wild-type Brazilian strain of Penicillium simplicissimum in solid-state fermentation of babassu cake, an abundant residue of the oil industry, was studied. The enzyme production reached about 90 U/g in 72 h, with a specific activity of 4.5 U/mg of total proteins. The crude lipase showed high activities at 35-60 degrees C and pH 4.0-6.0, with a maximum activity at 50 degrees C and pH 4.0-5.0. Enzyme stability was enhanced at pH 5.0 and 6.0, with a maximum half-life of 5.02 h at 50 degrees C and pH 5.0. Thus, this lipase shows a thermophilic and thermostable behavior, what is not common among lipases from mesophilic filamentous fungi. The crude enzyme catalysed the hydrolysis of triglycerides and p-nitrophenyl esters (C4:0-C18:0), preferably acting on substrates with medium-chain fatty acids. This non-purified lipase in addition to interesting properties showed a reduced production cost making feasible its applicability in many fields.