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Hydroxynitrile lyases of higher plants
1Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, Allmandring, Germany.
Biological Chemistry
|October 1, 1996
Summary
Cyanogenic glycoside breakdown releases hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Alpha-hydroxynitrile lyases (HNLs) are key enzymes in this process and are valuable biocatalysts for synthesizing important chemical building blocks.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Enzymology
- Plant Science
Background:
- Cyanogenic glycosides release hydrogen cyanide (HCN) through enzymatic cleavage.
- This process involves beta-glucosidases or alpha-hydroxynitrile lyases (HNLs).
- Regulation of cyanogenesis during plant germination is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the regulation of cyanogenic glycoside catabolism.
- To summarize biochemical properties, phylogenetic relationships, and catalytic mechanisms of plant HNLs.
- To overview the application of HNLs in synthesizing optically active alpha-hydroxynitriles.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of cyanogenesis and HNLs.
- Biochemical characterization of purified HNLs.
- Analysis of phylogenetic relationships and enzyme structures.
- Overview of biocatalytic applications of HNLs.
Main Results:
- HNLs are key enzymes in HCN release from cyanogenic glycosides.
- Biochemical properties, structures, and mechanisms of plant HNLs are diverse.
- HNLs are effective biocatalysts for producing valuable alpha-hydroxynitriles.
Conclusions:
- HNLs play a critical role in plant cyanogenesis.
- Understanding HNLs advances knowledge of plant biochemistry.
- HNLs offer significant potential for industrial synthesis of chiral compounds.