Nitrile hydratase of Rhodococcus erythropolis: characterization of the enzyme and the use of whole cells for biotransformation of nitriles.

The intracellular cobalt-type nitrile hydratase was purified from the bacterium Rhodococcuserythropolis. The pure enzyme consisted of two subunits of 29 and 30 kDa. The molecular weight of the native enzyme was estimated to be 65 kDa. At 25 °C the enzyme had a half-life of 25 h. The Michaelis-Menten constants Km and vmax for the enzyme were 0.624 mM and 5.12 µmol/min/mg, respectively, using 3-cyanopyridine as the substrate. The enzyme-containing freely-suspended bacterial cells and the cells immobilized within alginate beads were evaluated for converting the various nitriles to amides. In a packed bed reactor, alginate beads (2 % alginate; 3 mm bead diameter) containing 200 mg/mL of cells, achieved a conversion of >90 % for benzonitrile and 4-cyanopyridine in 38 h (25 °C, pH 7.0) at a feed substrate concentration of 100 mM. The beads could be reused for up to six reaction cycles.

Cross-linked enzyme aggregates of recombinant Pseudomonas putida nitrilase for enantioselective nitrile hydrolysis.

The cross-linked enzyme aggregate (CLEA) method is used for the dual purpose of combining both the purification and immobilization of enzyme in one step. The present work involved the preparation of a carrier-free, highly active reusable biocatalyst (nitrilase) which encounters least mass-transfer limitations with higher thermal and storage stability. The effect of type of aggregating agent, its concentration as well as that of cross-linking agent was studied. Nitrilase aggregates were prepared using ammonium sulphate (35%) precipitation followed by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde (125 mM) which rendered 70% activity retention. The various cross-linking parameters were optimized in order to increase the activity retention. Stability in terms of temperature, reusability and leaching were also examined. The CLEA preparation showed residual nitrilase activity on repeated use. A highly stable CLEA of nitrilase was finally prepared with maximum activity recovery.

Response surface optimization of the critical medium components for carbonyl reductase production by Candida viswanathii MTCC 5158.

Culture conditions were optimized for the growth and carbonyl reductase production by a novel yeast strain Candida viswanathii. Response surface methodology was applied for the critical medium components (initial pH, mannitol, yeast extract and calcium chloride) identified earlier by one-factor-at-a-time approach. Central composite design was used for the optimization studies. Using this methodology, the optimal values for the concentration of mannitol, initial pH, yeast extract and calcium chloride were 1.9, 7.5, 1.6 and 4, respectively. This medium was projected to produce, theoretically, growth having an optical density of 1.1 (600 nm) and an enzyme activity of 81.5 U/ml. Using this optimized medium, an experimental growth of 1.1 OD (600 nm) and enzyme activity 80.9 U/ml verified the applied methodology. This approach for medium optimization led to an enhancement of the growth and enzyme activity by 1.3 and 2.3 times higher, respectively, as compared to the unoptimized media.