Substrate specificity, acyl transfer, ester hydrolysis

It is known in the literature that some enzymes can catalyze the acylation reaction of polysaccharides (9,10). Not surprisingly, lipases can serve this function (9) because lipases are known to mediate ester hydrolysis or synthesis. Yet, some proteases can also catalyze this reaction (10). For example, Alcalase protease immobilized on Celite can transfer the acrylic group onto hydroxy-ethylcellulose (HEC) to form an ester(9a) (Figure 2). Thus, in this case Alcalase appears to have broad substrate specificity and can work well with esters. 

---