New cblA gene participates in regulation of cobalt-dependent transcription of nitrile hydratase genes in Rhodococcus rhodochrous.

Rhodococcus strains are important biocatalysts used for biotechnological production of acrylamide catalysed by a nitrile hydratase (NHase) containing cobalt. This metalloenzyme is present at high intracellular concentrations representing up to 50% of the soluble proteins in Rhodococcus rhodochrous M8 strain. Cobalt ions were formerly reported to be essential for the synthesis of the NHase subunits, encoded by nhmBA structural genes in R.