Screening and production of lipase from fungal organisms

Lipases (triacylglycerol acylhydrolases, (E.C. 3.1.1.3)) are a class of enzymes endowed with an ability to catalyze the hydrolysis of triglycerides to glycerol and free fatty acids. These are industrially significant, particularly microbial lipases. Among several diverse sources, lipases from fungal origin are much embraced owing to their high stability. These lipases are directly screened majorly by the plate assay technique involving various preferred and specific substrates and indirectly by appropriately growing the strains in liquid medium followed by analysing the activity of the filtrates. Production of fungal lipase is majorly by using solid state and submerged fermentation processes with considerable variation in their operational conditions, that are influenced by physico-chemical factors and which plays a major role in the optimum lipase production. Further, the immobilized fungal cells have also been employed for lipase production using various support materials. Keeping in view of all these aspects, this review focuses on the screening, production and utility of lipases obtained from prominent fungal organisms.