Production of lipase by three strains of Geotrichum candidum (DBM 4012, DBM 4013, DBM 4166) and one strain of Geotrichum ludwigii (DBM 48) in liquid medium was investigated under addition of olive oil, which has been used as activator of the activity. The activity of cell-bound and extracellular lipases was determined. The most remarkable growth of the cell biomass was also observed using a medium with peptone as a source of nitrogen. The highest specific activity of all activated lipases was found when the cell growth reached a constant level (stationary phase of growth). All activated lipases were used as biocatalysts of the hydrolytic resolution of racemic cis- or trans-isomers of 2-(4-methoxybenzyl)cyclohexyl acetates. Attention was paid to the stereochemical course of the reaction, i.e. to the determination of the optical purity of the products and, consequently, to the assignment of the absolute configuration and the determination of the conversion rate. The satisfactory results from the point of view of the chemical yields of the reaction and enantiomeric purity of the products were obtained when lipases from G. candidum DBM 4013 were used as biocatalysts of the hydrolysis of trans-isomer of 2-(4-methoxybenzyl)cyclohexyl acetate. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.