Calf pregastric lipase catalyzed hydrolysis of short and medium chain-length monoacid triglycerides: Temperature, pH and lipid concentration effects

Abstract

The commercial extract from the oro-pharyngeal tissues of calf has been used as the source of pregastric lipase and has been processed to yield a partially purified sample of the pregastric lipase. The activity of this lipase against the short-chain lipid tributyrin has been determined over a range of pH and temperature values. Optimum pH conditions were within the range 5.7–6.4 and the optimum temperature was within 37–48 °C. The lipase was also used to catalyze the hydrolysis of monoacid triglycerides (C4∶0–C12∶0) at 40 °C, pH 6.0 and maximum activity was obtained against tributyrin (C4∶0). The values of the kinetic parameter K _m increase with increasing carbon-chain length of the carboxylic moiety on the triglycerides, thus, indicating a preference for tributyrin under the stated conditions. The results are compared with results previously obtained utilising goat, kid and lamb pregastric lipases.