Hydrolysis of glycerides by lipases of the fat body of the locust, Locusta migratoria

Lipolysis of mono- di- and triacylglycerol by locust fat body preparation was studied. Microsomes and the soluble supernatant contained an acid lipase (pH optimum 5.0-6.0) which hydrolized micellar dispersions of the above lipids. On short incubations, diacylglycerol yielded equimolar amounts of monoacylglycerol and fatty acids. Trioleylglycerol was degraded very slowly; mainly fatty acids were formed. The enzyme was inhibited by detergents, and various salts. Monoacylglycerol was hydrolyzed by the supernatant over a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. In the microsomes the activity continued to increase up to pH 9.0. These activities were not inhibited by Triton X-100. Moreover, at pH 7.8 in the presence of Triton, di- and triacylglycerol were also degraded.