Isolation and characterization of an enzyme from the Greenshell™ mussel Perna canaliculus that hydrolyses pectenotoxins and esters of okadaic acid

► The enzyme responsible for pectenotoxin hydrolysis in the bivalve hepatopancreas has been isolated and characterized. ► The enzyme is an acidic, monomeric, 67 kDa serine esterase. ► The enzyme is also capable of hydrolysing okadaic acid fatty acid and diol esters. ► De novo amino acid sequencing failed to find any homology with known proteins. ► General lipid metabolism in the bivalve hepatopancreas is probably the primary role of the enzyme.