Gut Microbiota of Peruvian Anchovy (Engraulis ringens) as a Novel Source of Lipase-Producing Bacteria with Biocatalytic Potential

Huarcaya, Margaret; Barrientos, Antony; Pariente, Jhonathan S. Benites; Mesias, Luis Gabriel Gutierrez; Samolski, Ilanit; Ludeña, Yvette; Villena, Gretty K.

doi:10.3390/app152010930

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Gut Microbiota of Peruvian Anchovy (Engraulis ringens) as a Novel Source of Lipase-Producing Bacteria with Biocatalytic Potential

by

Margaret Huarcaya

,

Antony Barrientos

,

Jhonathan S. Benites Pariente

,

Luis Gabriel Gutierrez Mesias

,

Ilanit Samolski

,

Yvette Ludeña

^*,†

and

Gretty K. Villena

^*,†

Laboratorio de Micología y Biotecnología “Marcel Gutiérrez-Correa” (LMB-MGC), Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima 15024, Peru

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(20), 10930; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152010930 (registering DOI)

Submission received: 16 September 2025 / Revised: 4 October 2025 / Accepted: 8 October 2025 / Published: 11 October 2025

(This article belongs to the Section Applied Microbiology)

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Lipases from Staphylococcus ureilyticus strains isolated from Peruvian anchovy gut hold potential for future industrial applications in the enzymatic processing of natural and recycled vegetable oils, contributing to the sustainable production of oleochemical derivatives, such as biodiesel, and other value-added products.

Abstract

The search for novel microbial lipases with robust and versatile biochemical properties remains a priority in industrial biotechnology. In this study, the gut microbiota of the Peruvian anchovy (Engraulis ringens) was explored as a potential source of lipase-producing bacteria. A total of 31 distinct bacterial strains were isolated, among which 10 exhibited extracellular lipase activity in qualitative plate assays. Molecular identification revealed representatives of the genera Staphylococcus, Serratia, and Aeromonas. Two promising strains, Staphylococcus ureilyticus LMB-06 and LMB-Ju02, were selected based on their superior lipase productivity and were further subjected to partial biochemical characterization. Their lipase-containing secretomes displayed activity across a broad temperature range, retained stability under mildly acidic conditions (pH 5.0–6.0), tolerated several organic solvents, and exhibited enhanced activity in the presence of Ca²⁺. Notably, the lipase activity of LMB-06 was positively influenced by Mg²⁺ and K⁺—a response not previously reported for Staphylococcus lipases—suggesting unique enzymatic properties. In addition, LMB-06 retained activity in the presence of H₂O₂, highlighting its suitability for biodiesel production from recycled oils. Furthermore, hydrolysis assays using various natural oils as substrates revealed a marked preference for plant-based oils, particularly olive oil. Altogether, these findings highlight the value of S. ureilyticus strains from anchovy gut microbiota as novel biocatalyst sources for sustainable oil bioprocessing and oleochemical applications.

Keywords: Peruvian anchovy; gut microbiota; lipases; Staphylococcus ureilyticus

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MDPI and ACS Style

Huarcaya, M.; Barrientos, A.; Pariente, J.S.B.; Mesias, L.G.G.; Samolski, I.; Ludeña, Y.; Villena, G.K. Gut Microbiota of Peruvian Anchovy (Engraulis ringens) as a Novel Source of Lipase-Producing Bacteria with Biocatalytic Potential. Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 10930. https://doi.org/10.3390/app152010930

AMA Style

Huarcaya M, Barrientos A, Pariente JSB, Mesias LGG, Samolski I, Ludeña Y, Villena GK. Gut Microbiota of Peruvian Anchovy (Engraulis ringens) as a Novel Source of Lipase-Producing Bacteria with Biocatalytic Potential. Applied Sciences. 2025; 15(20):10930. https://doi.org/10.3390/app152010930

Chicago/Turabian Style

Huarcaya, Margaret, Antony Barrientos, Jhonathan S. Benites Pariente, Luis Gabriel Gutierrez Mesias, Ilanit Samolski, Yvette Ludeña, and Gretty K. Villena. 2025. "Gut Microbiota of Peruvian Anchovy (Engraulis ringens) as a Novel Source of Lipase-Producing Bacteria with Biocatalytic Potential" Applied Sciences 15, no. 20: 10930. https://doi.org/10.3390/app152010930

APA Style

Huarcaya, M., Barrientos, A., Pariente, J. S. B., Mesias, L. G. G., Samolski, I., Ludeña, Y., & Villena, G. K. (2025). Gut Microbiota of Peruvian Anchovy (Engraulis ringens) as a Novel Source of Lipase-Producing Bacteria with Biocatalytic Potential. Applied Sciences, 15(20), 10930. https://doi.org/10.3390/app152010930

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Gut Microbiota of Peruvian Anchovy (Engraulis ringens) as a Novel Source of Lipase-Producing Bacteria with Biocatalytic Potential

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