摘要 |
PURPOSE: To obtain a new nitrile hydratase gene having a specific base sequence, coding for nitrile hydratase stemmed from Rhodococcus bacteria, and useful for e.g. producing an enzyme capable of giving amides or carboxylic acids useful as raw materials for medicines, liquid crystal material, starting from nitriles. CONSTITUTION: The new gene has a sequence of the formula and codes for a nitride hydratase stemmed from Rhodococcus bacteria [e.g. Rhodococcus rhodochrous IFO15564 strain], therefore being useful for e.g. producing through the genetic engineering technology a nitrile hydratase capable of giving amides or carboxylic acids useful, as raw materials for medicines, liquid crystal material, etc., starting from nitrile compounds. This enzyme gene is obtained by the following process: the above strain is cultured and the chromosome DNA therein is extracted, and using the DNA, a chromosome library is constructed, and then screened using a nitrile hydratase gene fragment as a probe, followed by recovering the aimed DNA from a positive strain. |