Distribution of aldoxime dehydratase in microorganisms

The distribution of phenylacetaldoxime-degrading and pyridine-3-aldoxime-degrading ability was examined with intact cells of 975 microorganisms, including 45 genera of bacteria, 11 genera of actinomyces, 22 genera of yeasts, and 37 genera of fungi, by monitoring the decrease of the aldoximes by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The abilities were found to be widely distributed in bacteria, actinomyces, fungi, and some yeasts: 98 and 107 strains degraded phenylacetaldoxime and pyridine-3-aldoxime, respectively. All of the active strains exhibited not only the aldoxime-dehydration activity to form nitrile but also nitrile-hydrolyzing activity. On the other hand, all of 19 nitrile-degrading microorganisms (13 species, 7 genera) were found to exhibit aldoxime dehydration activity. It is shown that aldoxime dehydratase and nitrile-hydrolyzing activities are widely distributed among 188 aldoxime and 19 nitrile degraders and that the enzymes were induced by aldoximes or nitriles.