Identification and characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Serratia marcescens</Emphasis> ZJB-09104, a nitrile-converting bacterium

Pyrazinamide has received considerable attention for its effective antibacterial action in the reappearance of tuberculosis and for its broad application in the chemical industry. In this study, a 2-cyanopyrazine-degrading bacterial strain, numbered ZJB-09104, was newly isolated and identified as Serratia marcescens, based on its physiological and biological tests, ATB system analysis, and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The strain exhibits only nitrile hydratase (NHase) activity and this NHase belongs to the cobalt NHase family of enzymes. Thermostability tests suggested that the NHase is thermophilic with an optimum temperature of 50°C. The NHase was effective in converting nitriles to the corresponding amides under the conditions of temperature 50°C and time course 7 h, respectively.