Lipases produced by anewly isolated Sporidiobolus ruberrimus strain have potential catalytic ability for esterification reactions. Lipase activities of about 130.1U/g, 164.2U/g and 189.5U/g were obtained using soybean meal, sugarcane bagasse and rice meal as substrates, respectively. The partial characterization of the crude extracts showed that the evaluated lipases presented, in general, more specificity to short chain alcohols and fatty acids. The extracts presented higher relative activities when stored at room temperature compared to the storageat 4 and 10 C. Lipases showed higher activities at memories of pH around neutrality (6.5) and about 40 C.
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