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Characterisation of nitrilase and nitrile hydratase biocatalytic systems

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Abstract

Biocatalytic transformations converting aromatic and arylaliphatic nitriles into the analogous related amide or acid were investigated. These studies included synthesis of the β-substituted nitrile 3-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionitrile, subsequent enrichment and isolation on this substrate of nitrile-degrading microorganisms from the environment, and a comparative study of enzymatic reactions of nitriles by resting cell cultures and enzymes. Each biocatalyst exhibited a distinctive substrate selectivity profile, generally related to the length of the aliphatic chain of the arylaliphatic nitrile and the position of substituents on the aromatic ring or aliphatic chain. Cell-free nitrilases generally exhibited a narrower substrate range than resting whole cells of Rhodococcus strains. The Rhodococcus strains all exhibited nitrile hydratase activity and converted β-hydroxy nitriles (but did not demonstrate enantioselectivity on this substrate). The biocatalysts also mediated the synthesis of a range of α-hydroxy carboxylic acids or amides from aldehydes in the presence of cyanide. The use of an amidase inhibitor permits halting the nitrile hydratase/amidase reaction at the amide intermediate.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their appreciation to Dr Maryke Henton, of Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute’s Bacteriology Laboratory, South Africa, for assistance with microbial taxonomy; Dr Gert Marais for additional microbial strains, and Dr Andreas Bommarius for suggesting target compounds. We would also like to thank Jülich Fine Chemicals (Germany), Novozymes (Denmark), BioCatalytics Inc. (USA), and Prof. Lutz Fischer of the Institute of Food Technology, University of Stuttgart-Hohenheim for donation of biocatalysts. D. Brady would like to express his appreciation to the Delft University of Technology for a fellowship to support this work, to Drs LM van Langen, RK Mitra, and ML Bode for useful discussions, N Wilde and C van der Westhuizen for technical assistance, and Dr Lesley Robertson and staff of the Department of Biotechnology (Delft University of Technology) for use of facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CSIR Bio/Chemtek, Modderfontein 1645, Private Bag X2, Johannesburg, South Africa

    D. Brady, A. Beeton, J. Zeevaart & C. Kgaje

  2. Laboratory of Organic Chemistry and Catalysis, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 136, 2628 BL, Delft, Netherlands

    F. van Rantwijk & R. A. Sheldon

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  1. D. Brady
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  2. A. Beeton
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  3. J. Zeevaart
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  4. C. Kgaje
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  5. F. van Rantwijk
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  6. R. A. Sheldon
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Correspondence to D. Brady.

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Brady, D., Beeton, A., Zeevaart, J. et al. Characterisation of nitrilase and nitrile hydratase biocatalytic systems. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 64, 76–85 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-003-1495-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-003-1495-0

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