Substrate-Specificity of Candida rugosa Lipase and Its Industrial Application

Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) is a very versatile and widely used lipase in the aroma and flavor industry, the fat and oil industry, the pharmaceutical industry and is also applicable as a biosensor. The present paper discusses recent developments on the molecular level of CRL, the biocatalytic reactivity of several Lip isoenzymes, diverse immobilization strategies of the enzyme and its broad (substrate) specificities in different fields. Furthermore, an overview is given of future applications with CRL such as the enantioselective hydrolysis of racemic lactate esters produced out of sugars and the production of biodiesel out of vegetable oil. These processes have been tried on laboratory scale but still need further optimization for industrialization.