Here, we provide a detailed protocol describing a SDS-PAGE based procedure to assay in gel neutral lipase activity. Total protein extracts are separated by SDS-PAGE and gels are treated with lipase substrate-α-naphthyl palmitate. This long-chain fatty acid ester is hydrolysed by lipases present in the gel. The product resulting from this reaction can be then visualized in the gel as yellow-brownish activity bands. This relatively simple and effective method of lipase assay detection can be used for crude protein extracts from different plant tissues.
Fast blue B salt (Sigma-Aldrich, catalog number: D9805 )
α-naphthyl palmitate (Sigma-Aldrich, catalog number: N9875 ) Note: α-naphthyl palmitate catalog number: N9875 is no longer available in Sigma-Aldrich, but is available in Santa Cruz Biotechnology, catalog number: CAS 15806-43-6.
Extraction buffer (see Recipes)
12% separating gel (see Recipes)
4% stacking gel (see Recipes)
2 x SDS sample buffer (see Recipes)
1 M sodium phosphate buffer (see Recipes)
Developing solution (see Recipes)
Equipment
Mortar and pestle
Refrigerated centrifuge 5810R (Eppendorf, catalog number: 5810000.017 ) or similar, equipped with a rotor for 2 ml microcentrifuge tubes
Zienkiewicz, A., Rejón, J. D., Zienkiewicz, K., Castro, A. J. and Rodríguez-García, M. I. (2015). In Gel Detection of Lipase Activity in Crude Plant Extracts (Olea europaea). Bio-protocol 5(8): e1444. DOI: 10.21769/BioProtoc.1444.