Lipases

Definition

A class of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of triglycerides and other lipids at oil–water interfaces. In arthropods, lipases are critical for digesting dietary fats, mobilizing stored lipids for flight or reproduction, and processing pheromone precursors. Unlike esterases, which function in aqueous solution, lipases require interfacial activation and typically show broad substrate specificity for long-chain fatty acid esters.

Etymology

From Greek lipos (fat) + -ase (enzyme suffix)

Example

Larvae of the wax moth Galleria mellonella secrete potent lipases that digest beeswax, enabling them to thrive on an otherwise indigestible diet; in adult mosquitoes, midgut lipases hydrolyze blood-meal lipids to fuel egg development.

Synonyms

• triacylglycerol lipases

Related Terms

• esterases
• digestive enzymes
• Fat body
• metabolism
• pheromone biosynthesis

Usage Notes

Distinguished from esterases by their interfacial activation mechanism and preference for hydrophobic substrates. In insect biochemistry, 'lipase' often refers specifically to triacylglycerol lipases involved in lipid mobilization, whereas phospholipases and sphingomyelinases are treated as separate enzyme classes despite overlapping chemistry.