Modifications of emulsions for determination of the rates of lipase-catalysed hydrolysis and intramolecular acyl transfer reactions of lipids

A practical application of compartmentalised liquids is demonstrated by employment of emulsions developed from traditional milk-based assay methods for pre-gastric lipases. Recent work on Lamb Pre-gastric Lipase has led to modification of the components and methods used in emulsification. Changes in emulsion substrate concentration allowed assays employing full Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Removal of an emulsifier carrier gave a more simple chemical background with removal of potential side reactions. The use of high-concentration emulsifiers allowed comparison of an extended range of substrates under otherwise comparable conditions, and the removal of all chemical emulsifiers but with use of mechanical maintenance of the emulsion gave a chemically clean system for a simple and rapid extraction of reaction products for analysis.