A versatile nitrile-degrading bacterium, Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCCBAA-870, was isolated through enrichment culturing of soil samples from Johannesburg, South Africa. The researchers have previously shown that Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCCBAA-870 possesses nitrile-hydrolysing enzymes capable of metabolising a wide range of aliphatic and aromatic nitriles and amides. The biocatalyst expressed a two enzyme system with sequential nitrile-converting activity. Nitrilase enzymes catalyse the hydrolysis of a nitrile into its corresponding carboxylic acid and ammonia, and have become important industrial enzymes as a result of the products they afford. Successful commercial examples of nitrile bioconversion include production of nicotinic acid and acrylic acid. Both experimental and results are shown in the poster
Reference:
Frederick, J. 2008. Nitrilase from rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870: fibre formation over time. 46th Conference of the Microscopy Society of Southern Africa. University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana, 21-25 July 2008, pp 1
Frederick, J., Brady, D., Weber, B., & Sewell, T. (2008). Nitrilase from rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870: fibre formation over time. 46th Conference of the Microscopy Society of Southern Africa. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/3307
Frederick, J, D Brady, B Weber, and T Sewell. "Nitrilase from rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870: fibre formation over time." (2008): http://hdl.handle.net/10204/3307
Frederick J, Brady D, Weber B, Sewell T, Nitrilase from rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC BAA-870: fibre formation over time; 46th Conference of the Microscopy Society of Southern Africa; 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/3307 .