Novel protein having nitrile hydratase activity and the gene encoding the same, and a method for producing amides from nitriles via a transformant containing the gene

摘要

A novel water-soluble enzyme protein being composed of three heterogeneous subunits and having nitrile hydratase activity was separated and purified from the bacterium of genus Rhizobium . The nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding the protein was determined; using the transformant transformed with the expression vector having the nucleotide sequence, the protein was expressed; by reacting with a nitrile the culture broth, the microorganism isolated from the said culture broth and the like, obtained by culturing the transformant, the corresponding an amide were produced. Via the use of the culture broth, the microorganism isolated from the said culture broth and the like obtained by culturing the transformant described above, a nitrile can be efficiently converted into the corresponding an amide.