The invention encompasses the use of a
lipolytic enzyme obtainable from one of the following genera:
Streptomyces,
Corynebacterium and Thermobifida in various methods and uses, wherein said
lipolytic enzyme is capable of hydrolysing a
glycolipid or a
phospholipid or transferring an
acyl group from a
glycolipid or phospholipids to an acyl
acceptor. Preferably, the
lipolytic enzyme for use in these methods and uses comprises an
amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NOs: 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14 or 16 or an
amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity therewith or comprises a
nucleotide sequence shown as SEQ ID NO: 3, 6, 9, 13, 15 or 17 or a
nucleotide sequence which has at least 70% identity therewith. The present invention also relates to a lipolytic
enzyme capable of hydrolysing at least a galactolipid or capable of transferring an
acyl group from a galactolipid to one or more acyl
acceptor substrates, wherein the
enzyme is obtainable from
Streptomyces species and includes a lipolytic
enzyme comprising an
amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 4 or an amino acid sequence which has at least 60% identity thereto. The enzyme may be encoded by a
nucleic acid selected from the group consisting of: a) a
nucleic acid comprising a
nucleotide sequence show in SEQ ID NO: 3; b) a
nucleic acid which is related to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 by the degeneration of the
genetic code; and c) a nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence which has at least 70% identity with the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 3.