Synthetic resin-bound truncated Candida antarctica lipase B for production of fatty acid alkyl esters by transesterification of corn and soybean oils with ethanol or butanol

A gene encoding a synthetic truncated Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) was generated via automated PCR and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Western blot analysis detected five truncated CALB variants, suggesting multiple translation starts from the six in-frame ATG codons. The longest open reading frame, which corresponds to amino acids 35–317 of the mature lipase, appeared to be expressed in the greatest amount. The truncated CALB was immobilized on Sepabeads® EC-EP resin and used to produce ethyl and butyl esters from crude corn oil and refined soybean oil. The yield of ethyl esters was 4-fold greater from corn oil than from soybean oil and was 36% and 50% higher, respectively, when compared to a commercially available lipase resin (Novozym 435) using the same substrates. A 5:1 (v/v) ratio of ethanol to corn oil produced 3.7-fold and 8.4-fold greater yields than ratios of 15:1 and 30:1, respectively. With corn oil, butyl ester production was 56% higher than ethyl ester production. Addition of an ionic catalytic resin step prior to the CALB resin increased yields of ethyl esters from corn oil by 53% compared to CALB resin followed by ionic resin. The results suggest resin-bound truncated CALB has potential application in biodiesel production using biocatalysts.

► Gene ORF for truncated Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) was expressed in yeast.
► Most abundant synthetic CALB contained amino acids 35–317 of full-length lipase.
► Resin-bound CALB used to produce ethyl and n-butyl esters from corn and soybean oils.
► Ethyl ester yield was 4-fold greater from corn oil than from soybean oil.
► Ratio 5:1 (v/v) ethanol:corn oil optimal; butyl 56% higher than ethyl ester production.