Enzymatic degradation of nitriles by a Candida guilliermondii UFMG-Y65.
Candida guilliermondii UFMG-Y65, isolated from a gold mine, was able to utilize different nitriles and the corresponding amides as sole source of nitrogen, at concentrations up to 2 M. Resting cells cultivated on YCB-acetonitrile medium showed nitrile hydrolyzing enzyme activities against acrylonitrile and benzonitrile. These enzymes were inducible and intracellular; the optimum pH was 7.0-8.0, and the optimum temperature 25 degrees C-30 degrees C. Liquid chromatographic analysis indicated that C. guilliermondii UFMG-Y65 metabolized 12 mM benzonitrile to 11 mM benzoic acid and 10 mM acrylonitrile to 7.9 mM acrylic acid. The results suggest that C. guilliermondii UFMG-Y65 may be useful for the bioproduction of amides and acids, and for the bioremediation of environments contaminated with nitriles.
Departamento de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
J C
JC
Dias
R P
RP
Rezende
C A
CA
Rosa
M A
MA
Lachance
V R
VR
Linardi
D000097:Acetonitriles / Q000378:metabolism; D000181:Acrylonitrile / Q000378:metabolism; D000577:Amides / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002175:Candida / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D006046:Gold; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008906:Mining; D009570:Nitriles / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature
D000097:Acetonitriles; D000577:Amides; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009570:Nitriles; D006046:Gold; C014356:benzonitrile; D000181:Acrylonitrile; C032159:acetonitrile