Ricinine nitrilase explained

ricinine nitrilase
Ec Number:	3.5.5.2
Cas Number:	9075-40-5
Go Code:	0047426

In enzymology, a ricinine nitrilase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

ricinine + 2 H₂O

\rightleftharpoons 3-carboxy-4-methoxy-N-methyl-2-pyridone + NH₃

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are ricinine and H₂O, whereas its two products are 3-carboxy-4-methoxy-N-methyl-2-pyridone and NH₃.

This enzyme belongs to the family of hydrolases, those acting on carbon-nitrogen bonds other than peptide bonds, specifically in nitriles. The systematic name of this enzyme class is ricinine aminohydrolase. This enzyme participates in nitrogen metabolism.

References

• ROBINSON WG, HOOK RH . 1964 . Ricinine Nitrilase. I. Reaction Product and Substrate Specificity . J. Biol. Chem. . 239 . 4257 - 62 . 14247679 .
• HOOK RH, ROBINSON WG . 1964 . Ricinine Nitrilase. Ii. Purification and Properties . J. Biol. Chem. . 239 . 4263 - 7 . 14247680 .
• Pace HC, Brenner C . 2001 . The nitrilase superfamily: classification, structure and function . Genome Biol. . 2 . REVIEWS0001 . 11380987 . 1 . 150437 . 10.1186/gb-2001-2-1-reviews0001 . free .