Isolation and characterization of a novel organic solvent-tolerant and halotolerant esterase from a soil metagenomic library

- A novel esterase, EstWSD, was isolated from a soil metagenomic library.
- EstWSD and its closest homologues belong to a new bacterial lipolytic enzyme family.
- EstWSD is stable in 0.5-4.5 M NaCl, suggesting that it is a halotolerant esterase.
- EstWSD is stable in dimethylsulfoxide, ρ-xylene, hexane, heptane, and octane.