Phylogenetic diversity of nitrile-utilizing bacteria of soda sludge storage facility and some of their physiological and biochemical features

The phylogenetic diversity of nitrile-utilizing bacteria from a soda sludge storage facility was studied. Haloalkalitolerant bacteria were isolated on acetamide and acetonitrile as the only carbon sources and identified by 16S rDNA sequencing. The isolates were found to belong to the phyla Actinomycetota (Arthrobacter, Microbacterium, Rhodococcus spp.) and Pseudomonadota (Acinetobacter, Ensifer, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium spp.). The isolates were found to have nitrile hydratase and amidase activity and contain genes for two types of amidases and Fe-containing nitrile hydratase. No nitrilase activity or nitrilase genes, Co-containing nitrile hydratases, or enantioselective amidases were found. Isolates are capable of forming biofilms, and biofilm biomass increases with decreasing growth temperature.