Hydroxynitrile lyases (NHL)

Hydroxynitrile lyases (NHL)

Hydroxynitrile lyases (HNLs) are enzymes that catalyze the reversible cleavage of cyanohydrins into their corresponding aldehydes or ketones and hydrogen cyanide (HCN). These enzymes play a critical role in plant defense mechanisms by releasing toxic HCN when cyanogenic glycosides are hydrolyzed. In synthetic organic chemistry, HNLs are widely used for the enantioselective synthesis of cyanohydrins from aldehydes or ketones and HCN, making them valuable tools in the production of chiral building blocks for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals.