(S)-hydroxynitrile lyase

UniProtKB accession:  P52705

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UniProtKB description:  Involved in cyanogenesis, the release of HCN from cyanogenic glycosides in injured tissues; the release of toxic HCN is believed to play a central role in the defense mechanism of plants against herbivores and microbial attack (Probable). Decomposes a variety of cyanohydrins (alpha-hydroxynitriles) into HCN and the corresponding aldehydes or ketones; two natural substrates are 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanenitrile (acetone cyanohydrin) and 2-hydroxy-2-methylbutanenitrile (2-butanone cyanohydrin), but in vitro can also act on 2-hydroxy-2-methylpentanenitrile (2-pentanone cyanohydrin) and mandelonitrile (PubMed:8203915, PubMed:8824213, PubMed:11316882, PubMed:11742123). Is also able to catalyze the reverse reaction in vitro, leading to the stereospecific synthesis of aliphatic, aromatic, and heterocyclic cyanohydrins, important intermediates in the production of various agrochemicals or pharmaceuticals (Ref.2).