Biochemical properties of free and immobilized Candida viswanathii lipase on octyl-agarose support: Hydrolysis of triacylglycerol and soy lecithin

[Display omitted] •Candida viswanathii lipase was purified using a rapid strategy of only one step.•Immobilization process produced a derivative with better catalytic properties.•Free lipase and derivative presented optimal pH and high stability in acid pH region.•This lipase efficiently hydrolyzed simple and mixed triacylglycerols of long chain.•Free and immobilized lipase hydrolyzed the phospholipid soybean lecithin. Microbial lipases are important enzymes in food and pharmaceutical industries. In this work, a Candida viswanathii lipase was purified by hydrophobic interaction chromatography on octyl Sepharose. The purification presented 78.4% yield and the enzyme was 8.7-fold purified, with specific activity 700.4U/mg protein and 69kDa molecular weight. Immobilization of the enzyme on the same support presented 72.5% yield and a derivative with 101% expressed activity (109.2U/g support), indicating hyperactivation of the enzyme. Optimal activity for both free and immobilized lipase was observed at pH 4.0 and 45°C. The free and immobilized lipase showed broad-range stability from acid to neutral pH, and apparent activation and stability on organic solvents. The derivative was 60-fold thermostabilized in relation to the free enzyme and fully retained its activity after four cycles of p-nitrophenyl palmitate hydrolysis. Slight activation was observed with dithiothreitol and β-mercaptoethanol. The free and immobilized lipase efficiently hydrolyzed monoesters, simple and mixed long chain triacylglycerols, as well as soy lecithin. The activity and stability in acid pH, the organic solvent tolerance and the lecithin hydrolysis indicate high potential application of the enzyme and its derivative in textile, food and pharma industries and for chemical synthesis.