A New Isolate from Fusarium proliferatum (AUF-2) for Efficient Nitrilase Production

Abstract

A fungal isolate from Fusarium proliferatum strain AUF-2 has been found to have a high nitrilase activity (≥ 1,000 U/l culture). The present work describes optimization of growth conditions and production medium to achieve maximum nitrilase production. The most effective carbon and nitrogen sources for nitrilase production were glucose and sodium nitrate, respectively. ε-Caprolactam was found to be the best inducer for maximum nitrilase production with 80 g/l wet cell biomass and 26 U/g nitrilase activity. An overall nitrilase activity of ≥ 2,000 U/l culture was obtained in this study, which is one of the best activities reported so far in any Fusarium strain. Chemo-profiling has shown that the strain is versatile in its ability to hydrolyze both aliphatic as well as aromatic nitriles. Efforts are being made to use the strain for biotransformation of pharmaceutical substrates.

High‐throughput screening for distinguishing nitrilases from nitrile hydratases in Aspergillus and application of a Box–Behnken design for the optimization of nitrilase

“…3 Via nitrilase (E.C.3.5.5.1), where the reaction occurs in a single step leading to the corresponding carboxylic acid, or via nitrile hydratase (E.C.4.2.1.84) forming the corresponding amide that subsequently undergoes hydrolysis catalyzed by an amidase (E.C.3.5.1.4) leading to carboxylic acid; ammonia is released in both enzymatic pathways. 3,14 There are some studies in the literature on the production of nitrilases from fungal species; for example, Yusuf et al 15 produced nitrilase from Fusarium proliferatum AUF-2 using glucose and sodium nitrate as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, obtaining nitrilase activity of ≥2000 U l -1 . Su et al 16 optimized the production of nitrilase from Arthrobacter aurescens CYC705 and obtained an enzymatic activity of 98.12 ± 1.248 U ml -1 .…”

“…There are some studies in the literature on the production of nitrilases from fungal species; for example, Yusuf et al 15 . produced nitrilase from Fusarium proliferatum AUF‐2 using glucose and sodium nitrate as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, obtaining nitrilase activity of ≥2000 U l –1 .…”