Optimum Culture Conditions of Brevibacterium sp. CH2 for Production of Nitrile Hydratase

Optimum culture conditions for the formation of nitrile hydratase by Brevibacterium sp. CH2 were investigated. Addition of ferric and ferrous ions greatly increased the nitrile hydratase formation. The effects of nitriles, amides, and acids as an inducer on the formation of nitrile hydratase were investigated. Isobutyramide was the best inducer among the tested compounds. When Brevibacterium sp. CH2 was cultivated for 23 h at $30^{\circ}C$ in a optimized medium containing 15 g of glucose, 5 g of bacto peptone, 3 g of yeast extract, 3 g of malt extract, 1 g of $KH_2$$PO_4$, 1 g of $K_2$$HPO_4$, 1 g of NaCl, 0.5 g of isobutyramide, 0.2 g of MgSO$_4$ㆍ7$H_2O$, and 0.02g of $FeSO_4$ㆍ$7H_2$O per liter of distilled water with pH controlled at 7.1, the maximum total activity was 665 units/ml of the culture broth and the specific activity was 70 units/mg of the dry cells. The medium optimization increased the specific activity of Brevibacterium sp. CH2 2.2 times.