Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Isolation, Propagation, and Identification of Bacterial Species with Hydrocarbon Metabolizing Properties from Aquatic Habitats
Published on: December 7, 2021
Microbial hydrolysis of glutaronitrile derivatives with Brevibacterium sp. R 312
A Kerridge1, J S Parratt, S M Roberts
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Exeter, Devon, U.K.
Abstract:
The enantiomerically pure (S)-cyano acids 3 and 4 can be obtained by biotransformation with Brevibacterium sp. R 312 of the corresponding prochiral dinitriles 5 and 6, respectively. The hydrolysis is probably a two step process involving a nitrile hydratase and an amidase. In connection with these investigations a facile method for the synthesis of racemic 4-cyano-3-hydroxybutanoic acid derivatives was developed.
Related Concept Videos
Microbes and Methanogenesis
Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons
Production of Organic Acids
Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics

