Nitrilases and methods for making and using them

1. An isolated, synthetic, or recombinant polypeptide having a nitrilase activity and comprising an amino acid sequence:

(a) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ ID NO: 3;

(b) encoded by a nucleic acid sequence having at least 95%, or complete sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 3;

(c) consisting of SEQ ID NO:4; or

(d) having at least 95%, or complete sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:4.

2. The polypeptide of claim 1 , wherein the nitrilase activity comprises the ability to produce an enantiomerically pure-substituted carboxylic acid, -amino acid or -hydroxy acid.

3. The polypeptide of claim 1 , wherein the nitrilase activity comprises the ability to stereoselectively hydrolyze a transient amino nitrile or cyanohydrin under Strecker conditions in the presence of cyanide and ammonia.

4. A fragment of the polypeptide of claim 1 , wherein the fragment is at least 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 75, 100, or 150 consecutive amino acid residues of SEQ ID NO:4 and has Nitrilase activity.

5. The polypeptide of claim 1 , further comprising an additional amino acid sequence; wherein optionally the additional amino acid sequence comprises: a secretory sequence; a proprotein sequence; or, a sequence which facilitates purification, enrichment, or stabilization of the polypeptide.

6. The isolated, synthetic or recombinant polypeptide of claim 1 , wherein the nitrilase activity comprises the ability to produce an alpha-substituted carboxylic acid by a method comprising

(A) (a) providing an aldehyde or a ketone;

(b) providing a cyanide-containing compound;

(c) providing an ammonia-containing compound or a compound comprising an ammonium salt or an amine;

(d) providing a composition comprising a nitrilase, wherein the nitrilase has the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide of claim 1 ;

(e) contacting the aldehyde or ketone of step (a) with a cyanide-containing compound of step (b) and an ammonia-containing compound or a compound comprising an ammonium salt or an amine of step (c) such that an amino nitrile or a cyanohydrin intermediate is produced; and

(f) contacting the amino nitrile or cyanohydrin intermediate of step (e) with the composition of step (d) such that the nitrilase hydrolyzes the amino nitrile or cyanohydrin intermediate to produce an alpha-substituted carboxylic acid,

wherein the α-substituted carboxylic acid has the following structure:

wherein:

R 1 and R 2 are each independently —H, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, heterocyclic, wherein the substituents are lower alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, mercapto, cycloalkyl, heterocyclic, aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy, or halogen or optionally R 1 and R 2 are linked to cooperate to form a functional cyclic moiety, and

E is —N(R x ) 2 or —OH, wherein each R x is each independently —H or a lower alkyl;

(B) the method of (A), wherein the hydrolase activity comprises the ability to stereoselectively produce an enantiomerically pure substituted carboxylic acid having the following structure:

wherein:

R 1 and R 2 are each independently —H, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, heterocyclic, wherein the substituents are lower alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, mercapto, cycloalkyl, heterocyclic, aryl, heteroaryl, aryloxy, or halogen or optionally R 1 and R 2 are linked to cooperate to form a functional cyclic moiety and

E is —N(R x ) 2 or —OH, wherein each R x is —H or lower alkyl;

(C) the method of (B), wherein the enantiomerically pure substituted carboxylic acid is an amino acid;

(D) the method of any of (A) to (C), wherein at least one of R 1 and R 2 is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl;

(E) the method of (C), wherein an enantiomerically pure amino acid is D-phenylalanine, D-phenylglycine, or L-methylphenylglycine;

(F) the method of (C), wherein an enantiomerically pure amino acid bears a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl side chain;

(G) the method of (C), wherein an enantiomerically pure amino acid is L-tert-leucine, D-alanine, or D-hydroxynorleucine;

(H) the method of (B), wherein an enantiomerically pure substituted carboxylic acid is a hydroxy acid;

(I) the method of any of (A) to (C), wherein at least one of R 1 and R 2 is substituted or unsubstituted aryl;

(J) the method of (B), wherein the enantiomerically pure hydroxy acid is (S)-cyclohexylmandelic acid, mandelic acid or 2-chloro mandelic acid;

(K) the method of any of (A) to (C), wherein the cyanide is a metal cyanide or a gaseous cyanide, or the cyanide is an alkali cyanide, or the metal cyanide is sodium cyanide;

(L) the method of any of (A) to (C), wherein the ammonium salt has the formula NH 2 (R) 2 + X, wherein each R is independently —H or lower alkyl, and X is a counter ion; or

(M) the method of (L), wherein X is a halide and/or the halide is Cl − , or the ammonium salt is NH 4 + Cl − .

7. An isolated, synthetic, or recombinant polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO:4.

8. An isolated, synthetic, or recombinant polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO:4, wherein the polypeptide is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ ID NO:3.