Abstract
Lipases are important biocatalysts that carry out novel reactions in both aqueous and nonaqueous media. Lipases
have ability to carry out a wide variety of chemo-, regio- and enantioselective transformations and are the tools of
choice for organic chemists. Their general ease of handling, broad substrate tolerance, high stability towards
temperatures and solvents, high enantioselectivity, and convenient commercial availability have all added to their
widespread popularity among organic chemists. Lipases show immense versatility regarding their catalytic
behavior and scope to search for newer lipases with desired selectivity and substrate tolerance .The unique
interfacial activation of lipases has always fascinated enzymologists, and, recently, biophysicists and
crystallographers have made progress in understanding the structure–function relationships of these enzymes.
However, complete understanding of the lipase molecule requires greater input of research effort.
KEYWORDS: Biocatalysts, Biophysicists, Crystallographers