Ciba Specialty Chemicals Water Treatments Limited

Stuart Greenhalgh

Jonathan Robert Hughes

Yvonne Christine Armitage

Jatinder Singh Kullar

Kenneth Charles Symes

Gary Richardson

A microorganism which isstrain NCIMB 41164 or a mutant thereof. A method of culturing the microorganism in a culture medium comprising urea or urea derivative is claimed. A nitrile hydratase obtainable from the microorganism is claimed. Also claimed is a process of preparing an amide from the corresponding nitrile wherein the nitrile is subjected to a hydration reaction in an aqueous medium in the presence of a biocatalyst selected from the group consisting of a microorganism which is astrain NCIMB 41164, a mutant thereof and a nitrile hydratase obtainable fromstrain NCIMB 41164 or a mutant thereof. Also claimed is a method of storing theNCIMB 41164.

Microorganism

A process for preparing a polymer of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer, in which the monomer is obtainable from a biocatalysed reaction or a fermentation process, and wherein the monomer contains cellular material and/or components of a fermentation broth, forming the polymer by polymerizing the ethylenically unsaturated monomer or a monomer mixture comprising the ethylenically unsaturated monomer, wherein there is substantially no removal of the cellular material and/or components of the fermentation broth from the ethylenically unsaturated monomer.

Process of producing polymers

A microorganism which isstrain NCIMB 41164 or a mutant thereof. A method of culturing the microorganism in a culture medium comprising urea or urea derivative is claimed. A nitrite hydratase obtainable from the microorganism is claimed. Also claimed is a process of preparing an amide from the corresponding nitrite wherein the nitrite is subjected to a hydration reaction in an aqueous medium in the presence of a biocatalyst selected from the group consisting of a microorganism which is astrain NUMB 41164, a mutant thereof and a nitrite hydratase obtainable fromstrain NCIMB 41164 or a mutant thereof. Also claimed is a method of storing theNUMB 41164.

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Smithfield, VA, United States of America

Stuart Greenhalgh