Avocado oil as an inducer of the extracellular lipase activity of Kluyveromyces marxianus L-2029

Abstract Avocado represents one of the most nutritious and consumed foods in Mexico, and its export generates significant profits; because of its fatty acids content, the avocado oil was used as an inducer for the synthesis of extracellular lipases from the non-conventional yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus L-2029. Lipases are able to catalyze acyl glycerides, hydrolyzing them into fatty acids and glycerol; they have several applications in various industries. In order to determine the ideal initial avocado oil concentration in the culture medium for the yeast, the induction was carried out at different concentrations in incubation for 24 h. The yeast presented the greater extracellular lipase productivity at a 3.5% v/v avocado oil concentration, with a 3.47 μmol PNF/mg prot * min (U/mL) maximum activity. The enzymatic extract obtained at this condition had an optimum lipase activity temperature of 36 °C and pH 6. The pYJR10W lipase was detected in the enzymatic extract from avocado oil induction, and is therefore responsible for the extracellular lipase activity of K. marxianus.