catalysts Article Exploring Metagenomic Enzymes: A Novel Esterase Useful for Short-Chain Ester Synthesis 1,2, 1,2, 1 Thaís Carvalho Maester y , Mariana Rangel Pereira z, Aliandra M. Gibertoni Malaman , Janaina Pires Borges 3,Pâmela Aparecida Maldaner Pereira 1 and Eliana G. M. Lemos 1,* 1 Department of Technology, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP 14884-900, Brazil;
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[email protected] (P.A.M.P.) 2 Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB III), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP 05508-900, Brazil 3 Institute of Biosciences, Languages and Exact Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +55-16-3209-7409 Current address: Supera Innovation and Technology Park, Ecobiotech Company, Ribeirão Preto, y SP 14056-680, Brazil. Current address: Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK. z Received: 13 August 2020; Accepted: 24 August 2020; Published: 23 September 2020 Abstract: Enzyme-mediated esterification reactions can be a promising alternative to produce esters of commercial interest, replacing conventional chemical processes. The aim of this work was to verify the potential of an esterase for ester synthesis. For that, recombinant lipolytic enzyme EST5 was purified and presented higher activity at pH 7.5, 45 ◦C, with a Tm of 47 ◦C. Also, the enzyme remained at least 50% active at low temperatures and exhibited broad substrate specificity toward p-nitrophenol esters 1 1 with highest activity for p-nitrophenyl valerate with a Kcat/Km of 1533 s− mM− .