Cell-Free Recovery and Isotopic Identification of Cyanide Degrading Enzymes from Pseudomonas Fluorescens

• Main Author: Wang, Chien-Sao
• Other Authors: Kunz, Daniel A.
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: University of North Texas 1995
• Subjects: Pseudomonas fluorescens; cyanide; Pseudomonas fluorescens.; Cyanides > Metabolism.
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc278363/

Cell-free extracts from Pseudomonas fluorescens NCIMB 11764 catalyzed the degradation of cyanide into products that included C02, formic acid, formamide and ammonia. Cyanide-degrading activity was localized to cytosolic cell fractions and was observed at substrate concentrations as high as 100 mM. Two cyanide degrading activities were identified by: (i) the determination of reaction products stoichiometries, (ii) requirements for NADH and oxygen, and (iii) kinetic analysis. The first activity produced CO2 and NH3 as reaction products, was dependent on oxygen and NADH for activity, and displayed an apparent Km for cyanide of 1.2 mM. The second activity generated formic acid (and NH3) pfus formamide as reaction products, was oxygen independent, and had an apparent Km of 12 mM for cyanide. The first enzymatic activity was identified as cyanide oxygenase whereas the second activity consists of two enzymes, a cyanide nitrilase (dihydratase) and putative cyanide hydratase. In addition to these enzymes, cyanide-grown cells were also induced for formate dehydrogenase (FDH), providing a means of recycling NADH utilized by cyanide oxygenase.