This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dumestre, A. Articles by Berthelin, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Dumestre, A. Articles by Berthelin, J. Agricola Articles by Dumestre, A. Articles by Berthelin, J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl. Environ. Microbiol., Jul 1997, 2729-2734, Vol 63, No. 7
Copyright © 1997, American Society for Microbiology

Cyanide Degradation under Alkaline Conditions by a Strain of Fusarium solani Isolated from Contaminated Soils

A Dumestre, T Chone, J Portal, M Gerard and J Berthelin
Centre de Pedologie Biologique, CNRS UPR 6831 Associee a l'Universite Henri Poincare (Nancy I), 54501 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy Cedex, France

Several cyanide-tolerant microorganisms have been selected from alkaline wastes and soils contaminated with cyanide. Among them, a fungus identified as Fusarium solani IHEM 8026 shows a good potential for cyanide biodegradation under alkaline conditions (pH 9.2 to 10.7). Results of K(sup14)CN biodegradation studies show that fungal metabolism seems to proceed by a two-step hydrolytic mechanism: (i) the first reaction involves the conversion of cyanide to formamide by a cyanide-hydrolyzing enzyme, cyanide hydratase (EC 4.2.1.66); and (ii) the second reaction consists of the conversion of formamide to formate, which is associated with fungal growth. No growth occurred during the first step of cyanide degradation, suggesting that cyanide is toxic to some degree even in cyanide-degrading microorganisms, such as F. solani. The presence of organic nutrients in the medium has a major influence on the occurrence of the second step. Addition of small amounts of yeast extract led to fungal growth, whereas no growth was observed in media containing cyanide as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. The simple hydrolytic detoxification pathway identified in the present study could be used for the treatment of many industrial alkaline effluents and wastes containing free cyanide without a prior acidification step, thus limiting the risk of cyanhydric acid volatilization; this should be of great interest from an environmental and health point of view.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Luque-Almagro, V. M., Huertas, M.-J., Martinez-Luque, M., Moreno-Vivian, C., Roldan, M. D., Garcia-Gil, L. J., Castillo, F., Blasco, R. (2005). Bacterial Degradation of Cyanide and Its Metal Complexes under Alkaline Conditions. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 940-947 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Yoshikawa, K., Adachi, K., Nishijima, M., Takadera, T., Tamaki, S., Harada, K.-i., Mochida, K., Sano, H. (2000). beta -Cyanoalanine Production by Marine Bacteria on Cyanide-Free Medium and Its Specific Inhibitory Activity toward Cyanobacteria. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66: 718-722 [Abstract] [Full Text]