Esterase that can hydrolyze short-chain esters with the carbon chain containing 2 to 12 carbon atoms. In vitro, pNP-butyrate is the preferred substrate. a fatty acid ester + H2O = a fatty acid + an aliphatic alcohol + H(+) a butanoate ester + H2O = an aliphatic alcohol + butanoate + H(+) an octanoate ester + H2O = an aliphatic alcohol + H(+) + octanoate decanoate ester + H2O = an aliphatic alcohol + decanoate + H(+) an acetyl ester + H2O = acetate + an aliphatic alcohol + H(+) a dodecanoate ester + H2O = an aliphatic alcohol + dodecanoate + H(+) Inhibited by ionic detergents SDS (anions) and CTAB (cationic). Strongly inhibited by Zn(2+). kcat is 210 min(-1) with pNP-butyrate as substrate. Optimum pH is 8.0. Stable between pH 6.0 to 9.0. Optimum temperature is 37 degrees Celsius. Belongs to the 'GDXG' lipolytic enzyme family.