Abstract
Bacteria were enriched from soil samples, using benzylcyanide, α-methyl-, α-ethyl- or α-methoxybenzyl-cyanide as the sole source of nitrogen. All isolated strains belonged to the genus Pseudomonas. Resting cells of the isolates hydrolysed O-acetylmandelonitrile to O-acetylmandelic acid, O-acetylmandelic acid amide and mandelic acid. From racemic O-acetylmandelonitrile all isolates preferentially formed R(−)-acetylmandelic acid ( = d-acetylmandelic acid). The enantioselective hydrolysis of O-acetylmandelonitrile could also be demonstrated in vitro. Crude extracts did not hydrolyse O-acetylmandelic acid amide indicating an enantioselective nitrilase rather than a nitrile hydratase/amidase system.
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Layh, N., Stolz, A., Förster, S. et al. Enantioselective hydrolysis of O-acetylmandelonitrile to O-acetylmandelic acid by bacterial nitrilases. Arch. Microbiol. 158, 405–411 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00276300
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00276300