New nitrile hydratase papers

Enzyme–Substrate Binding Landscapes in the Process of Nitrile Biodegradation Mediated by Nitrile Hydratase and Amidase from Yu Zhang, Zhuotong Zeng, Guangming Zeng, Xuanming Liu, Ming Chen, Lifeng Liu, Zhifeng Liu & Gengxin Xie in Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology describes molecular modelling experiments using the crystal structures 2QDY (AJ270 Fe based NHase) and 1IRE (Pseudonocardia thermophila Co based NHase).This is a docking study for these two enzymes and a downstream amidase. Available at DOI 10.1007/s12010-013-0276-1. Shown below is Fig1b which illustrates a binding mode between the P. thermophila Co based NHase and 3-cyanopyridine.

Strategy for successful expression of the Pseudomonas putida nitrile hydratase activator P14K in Escherichia coli by Yi Liu, Wenjing Cui , Yueqin Fang, Yuechun Yu, Youtian Cui, Yuanyuan Xia, Michihiko Kobayashi and Zhemin Zhou adds to debate around the activator which is used for the maturation of the NHase with inclusion of the metal centre  (they say an activator is always needed, but is that true?). This paper is found in BMC Biotechnology at DOI:10.1186/1472-6750-13-48 and describes a methodology to ensure that the P14K activator is expressed successfully and in a more stable form.