A Gram-positive, aerobic, endospore-forming bacterium was isolated by an enrichment technique for the ability to degrade cyanide and was identified as a Baciffuspumilus strain. The bacterium rapidly degraded 100 mg 1-I of free cyanide in the absence of added inorganic and organic substances. The ability to degrade cyanide was linked to the growth phase and was not exhibited before late exponential/early stationary phase. Cyanide-degrading activity could not be induced before this time by the addition of 20 mg cyanide 1-l. Production of the cyanide-degrading activity required 0.01 mg Mn2+ 1-l and did not occur at Mn2+ concentrations below 0.002 mg 1-'. Cyanidedegrading activity was intracellular and cell-free extracts rapidly degraded cyanide.
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