Nitrilases (EC 3.5.5.1) catalyze regio- and stereo-selective conversion of a wide range of nitriles to corresponding carboxylic acids (see Reaction Scheme and Examples). The transformation acts through a cysteine residue in the active site and requires no metal cations or other cofactors (see References).

Reaction Scheme and Examples:

Selected References:

1. Zhu, D.; Mukherjee, C.; Biehl, E. R.; Hua, L. “Discovery of a mandelonitrile hydrolase from Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110 by rational genome mining”, Journal of Biotechnology, 2007, 129, 645-650.  

2. O'Reilly, C.; Turner, P. D.  “The  nitrilase  family of CN hydrolyzing enzymes - a comparative study”,    Journal of Applied Microbiology, 2003,  95,  1161-1174. 

3. Brenner, C.  “Catalysis in the  nitrilase  superfamily”, Current Opinion in Structural Biology, 2002,12, 775-782.

4. Banerjee, A.; Sharma, R.; Banerjee, U. C.  “The nitrile-degrading enzymes: current status and future prospects”, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2002, 60, 33-44.