Lipase Catalysis in Mixed Micelles

Abstract The catalytic performance of lipase, an interfacially active enzyme, depends on the reaction medium. Novel reaction media like mixed micelles affect lipase catalysis mostly by stabilizing the lipase structure and increasing the substrate solubilization. Nonionic surfactant addition in ionic micelles formed mixed micelles and increased lipase catalysis by lowering detrimental lipase‐ionic surfactant hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. Nonionic/nonionic mixed micelles enhanced activity and enantiomeric selectivity of free lipase but reduced those for immobilized lipase. Nonconventional cationic/cationic, anionic/nonionic/ionic liquid, and substrate/nonionic mixed micelles also improved lipase catalysis. Lipase activity was high in bile salt/surfactant mixed micelles but was low in bile salt/phospholipid mixed micelle. Mixed micelles have advantages like improving lipase‐substrate interaction, increasing water nucleophilicity, sometimes greater emulsion stability, and reduced product inhibition. In mixed micelles, increasing the lipase concentration can overcome the problem regarding inaccessibility of insoluble substrates.