Characterisation of the nitrile biocatalytic activity of rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870

Abstract

A versatile nitrile-degrading bacterium, Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870, was isolated through enrichment culturing of soil samples from Johannesburg, South Africa. Useful nitrile-metabolising activity of a potential biocatalyst, Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870, was explored. The biocatalyst expressed a two enzyme system with sequential nitrile-converting activity: nitrile hydratase and amidase. This biocatalytic nitrile hydrolysis affords valuable applications in industry, including production of solvents, extractants, pharmaceuticals, drug intermediates (chiral synthons), and pesticides, as well as in the organic synthesis of amines, amides, esters, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones and heterocyclic compounds. Applications of nitrile-hydrolysing enzymes include the production of amides and acids such as acrylamide, nicotinic acid and lactic acid from their corresponding nitriles, and the conversion of a–aminonitriles to optically active aminoacids