S
IPR000132

Nitrilase/cyanide hydratase, conserved site

InterPro entry
Short nameNitrilase/CN_hydratase_CS

Description

This family includes both nitrilases and cyanide hydratase. Nitrilases (
3.5.5.1
) are enzymes that convert nitriles into their corresponding acids and ammonia. They are widespread in microbes as well as in plants where they convert indole-3-acetonitrile to the hormone indole-3- acetic acid. A conserved cysteine has been shown
[1, 2]
to be essential for enzyme activity; it seems to be involved in a nucleophilic attack on the nitrile carbon atom. Cyanide hydratase (
4.2.1.66
) converts HCN to formamide. In phytopathogenic fungi, it is used to avoid the toxic effect of cyanide released by wounded plants
[3]
.

References

1.Nitrilase in biosynthesis of the plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid from indole-3-acetonitrile: cloning of the Alcaligenes gene and site-directed mutagenesis of cysteine residues. Kobayashi M, Izui H, Nagasawa T, Yamada H. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 247-51, (1993). View articlePMID: 8419930

2.Nitrilase from Rhodococcus rhodochrous J1. Sequencing and overexpression of the gene and identification of an essential cysteine residue. Kobayashi M, Komeda H, Yanaka N, Nagasawa T, Yamada H. J. Biol. Chem. 267, 20746-51, (1992). View articlePMID: 1400390

3.Cloning and properties of a cyanide hydratase gene from the phytopathogenic fungus Gloeocercospora sorghi. Wang P, VanEtten HD. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 187, 1048-54, (1992). View articlePMID: 1382413

GO terms

biological process

  • None

cellular component

  • None

Cross References

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