Fungal nitrilases as biocatalysts: Recent developments

Of the numerous putative fungal nitrilases available from protein databases only a few enzymes were purified and characterized. The purified nitrilases from Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis and Aspergillus niger share a preference for (hetero)aromatic nitriles, temperature optima between 40 and 50 °C and pH optima in the slightly alkaline region. On the other hand, they differ in their chemoselectivity, i.e. their tendency to produce amides as by-products. The production of fungal nitrilases is increased by up to three orders of magnitude on the addition of 2-cyanopyridine to the culture media. The whole-cell and subcellular biocatalysts were immobilized by various methods (LentiKats®; adsorption on hydrophobic or ion exchange resins; cross-linked enzyme aggregates). Operational stability was examined using continuous stirred membrane bioreactors. Fungal nitrilases appear promising for biocatalytic applications and biodegradation of nitrile environmental contaminants.     

Nitrile bioconversion by Microbacterium imperiale CBS 498-74 resting cells in batch and ultrafiltration membrane bioreactors

The biohydration of acrylonitrile, propionitrile and benzonitrile catalysed by the NHase activity contained in resting cells of Microbacterium imperiale CBS 498-74 was operated at 5, 10 and 20°C in laboratory-scale batch and membrane bioreactors. The bioreactions were conducted in buffered medium (50 mM Na₂HPO₄/NaH₂PO₄, pH 7.0) in the presence of distilled water or tap-water, to simulate a possible end-pipe biotreatment process. The integral bioreactor performances were studied with a cell loading (dry cell weight; DCW) varying from 0.1 mg_DCW per reactor to 16 mg_DCW per reactor, in order to realize near 100% bioconversion of acrylonitrile, propionitrile and benzonitrile without consistent loss of NHase activity.     

Reactions of the homoleptic acetonitrile complexes of palladium and platinum with diethylamine

The homoleptic [M(MeCN)₄]²⁺ cations (M = Pd, Pt) as the tetrafluoroborato derivatives were reacted with NHEt₂. The platinum species affords the amidino derivative {Pt[(E)-HNC(NEt₂)Me]₄}[BF₄]₂, 1, as the only detected product of the addition of the amine to the coordinated nitrile. On the contrary, for [Pd(MeCN)₄][BF₄]₂ competition between the substitution of the nitrile and addition of the amine to the nitrile group is operative: by carrying out the reaction in acetonitrile as solvent, complete conversion was obtained to the crystallographically defined {Pd[(E)-HNC(NEt₂)Me]₄}[BF₄]₂. Consistent with these findings, PdCl₂(MeCN)₂ reacts with NHEt₂ in acetonitrile yielding the substitution complex PdCl₂(NHEt₂)₂, whereas the amidino complex cis-PtCl₂[(E)-HNC(NEt₂)Me]₂, 3 was obtained from PtCl₂(MeCN)₂. Complex 3 was characterized by X-ray diffractometry.     

诺卡氏菌腈水合酶基因在重组毕赤酵母中的表达

为从基因水平上改造腈水合酶,进行了诺卡氏菌腈水合酶基因的外源表达研究。在重组大肠杆菌表达系统内,腈水合酶的α亚基几乎不能正常表达,在重组E. coli BL21(DE3) (pET32aNHBAX)中,腈水合酶活性仅为0.04U/mg。构建重组毕赤酵母表达质粒pPIC3.5kNHBAX,采用电穿孔转化法将其转入宿主菌P. pastoris GS115中,经过菌株培养和腈水合酶的诱导表达,筛选获得了优选菌株P. pastoris NH4。对P. pastoris NH4的细胞培养和腈水合酶的诱导表达条件进行优化,结果表明,重组腈水合酶在毕赤酵母中的表达水平可以达到0.52U/mg,但不能稳定积累。     

Ruthenium hydrogenation catalysts with P-N-N-P ligands derived from 1,3-diaminopropane and the formation of a β-diiminate complex by a base-induced isomerization

The complexes RuHCl{PPh₂(2-C₆H₄)CHNCH₂CH₂CH₂NCH(2-C₆H₄)PPh₂} (RuHCl{prP₂N₂}, 7) and RuHCl{PPh₂(2-C₆H₄)CH₂NHCH₂CH₂CH₂NHCH₂(2-C₆H₄)PPh₂} (RuHCl{prP₂(NH)₂}, 8) are prepared by reaction of RuHCl(PPh₃)₃ with a ligand derived from 1,3-diaminopropane and ortho-diphenylphosphinobenzaldehyde. They are active precatalysts for the hydrogenation of acetophenone and are moderately active for the hydrogenation of benzonitrile and imines. The related complex RuHCl{ethP₂(NH)₂} with a ligand derived from 1,2-diaminoethane provides a more active catalyst. Complexes 7 and 8 undergo an unusual base-promoted isomerization reaction that produces a ruthenium complex containing a novel β-diiminato ligand.     

Efficient expression in <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. coli</Emphasis> of an enantioselective nitrile hydratase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodococcus erythropolis</Emphasis>

The genes encoding an enantioselective nitrile hydratase (NHase) from Rhodococcus erythropolis AJ270 have been cloned and an active NHase has been produced in Escherichia coli. Maximal activity was found when the genes encoding the α- and β-subunits were transcribed as one unit and the gene encoding the P44k activator protein as a separate ORF on a single replicon. Addition of n-butyric acid and FeSO₄ could improve NHase activity. Coexpression of the GroEL-GroES chaperone proteins increased activity in the absence of P44k protein but had no effect in the presence of P44k. The recombinant enzyme was highly enantioselective in the synthesis of S-(+)-3-benzoyloxy- 4-cyanobutyramide from the prochiral substrate 3-benzoyloxyglutaronitrile.     

Isolation,identification and characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis> ZJB-063, a versatile nitrile-converting bacterium

Strain ZJB-063, a versatile nitrile-amide-degrading strain, was newly isolated from soil in this study. Based on morphology, physiological tests, Biolog and the 16S rDNA sequence, strain ZJB-063 was identified as Bacillus subtilis. ZJB-063 exhibited nitrilase activity without addition of inducers, indicating that the nitrilase in B. subtilis ZJB-063 is constitutive. Interestingly, the strain exhibited nitrile hydratase and amidase activity with the addition of ɛ-caprolactam. Moreover, the substrate spectrum altered with the alteration of enzyme systems due to the addition of ɛ-caprolactam. The constitutive nitrilase was highly specific for arylacetonitriles, while the nitrile hydratase/amidase in B. subtilis ZJB-063 could not only hydrolyze arylacetonitriles but also other nitriles including some aliphatic nitriles and heterocyclic nitriles. Despite comparatively low activity, the amidase of hydratase/amidase system was effective in converting amides to acids. The versatility of this strain in the hydrolysis of various nitriles and amides makes it a potential biocatalyst in organic synthesis.     

Toward model complexes of Co-containing nitrile hydratases: synthesis, complete characterization and reactivity toward ligands such as CN- and NO of the first square planar CoIII complex with two different carboxamido nitrogens and two thiolato sulfur donors

A [Co^III(N₂S₂)]NEt₄ complex, with two carboxamido nitrogens and two alkylthiolato sulfurs, was prepared from N,N′-(2-thioacetyl-isobutyryl)-2-aminobenzylamine, and characterized. It crystallizes with a distorted square planar structure including two short Co–N bonds (≈1.882 Å) and two short Co–S bonds (≈2.134 Å). The ligand defines an 11-atom chelate, which may be Co ligands in the mean plane of Co-containing nitrile hydratase. The Co^III oxidation state, reversibly reduced at −1.13 V (vs. SCE) and irreversibly oxidized at +1.29 V (vs. SCE) in DMF, is stable over a 2 V potential range. From the temperature dependence of its magnetic susceptibility, cobalt(III) was found to be in an S=1 triplet ground state, in agreement with the broad resonances observed in its ¹H-NMR spectrum. Preliminary spectral studies showed that this complex does not interact with imidazole, H₂O or HO⁻, but binds two CN⁻ anions or two NO molecules. The IR spectrum of the dinitrosyl complex exhibits two NO stretches at 1765 and 1820 cm⁻¹, in the range previously observed for dinitrosylated complexes derived from cobalt(I). This result suggests that, similarly to Fe NHases, Co NHases might readily bind NO.     

Preparation of both enantiomers of methyl 3-benzoyloxypentanoate by enzyme-catalysed hydrolysis of corresponding racemic nitrile and amide

Rhodococcus rhodochrous IFO 15564 enantioselectively hydrolysed racemic 3-benzoyloxypentanenitrile and 3-benzoyloxypentanamide to afford (R)-amide and (S)-car☐ylic acid with high enantiomeric excess (> 90%). In this reaction, both enantiomers of the starting nitrile were converted to the amide by nitrile hydratase, and amidase-catalysed enantioselective hydrolysis of the amide was responsible for the kinetic resolution. The lack of enantioselectivity of the nittile hydratase toward the racemic nitrile forms a marked contrast to the case of previously reported highly enantioselective conversion of prochiral 3-benzoyloxypentanedinitrile by this enzyme. since (R)-amide could be hydrolysed chemically to (R)-car☐ylic acid without any loss of its ee, the present microbial kinetic resolution serves as an effective method for preparing both enantiomers of synthetically useful 3-hydroxypentanoic acid derivatives.     

Optimization of Culture Conditions of Brevibacterium SP. A4 for the Production of Nitrile Hydratase

Optimum culture conditions of Brevibacterium sp. A4 for production of nitrile hydratase were determined by two mathematical methods: the Hadamard method and graphic analysis of response areas. A minimal medium was optimized and the basic roles of Fe²⁺ and Mg²⁺ were clearly shown. The influence of physico-chemical factors (pH, temperature and light conditions) on the culture and on nitrile hydratase were also studied. Various results permit the production of Brevibacterium sp. A4 cells with low protease and high nitrile hydratase contents.