Hydroxynitrilase

In enzymology, a hydroxynitrilase (EC 4.1.2.37) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

Hence, this enzyme has one substrate, acetone cyanohydrin, and two products, cyanide and acetone.

This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically the aldehyde-lyases, which cleave carbon-carbon bonds. The systematic name of this enzyme class is acetone-cyanohydrin acetone-lyase (cyanide-forming). Other names in common use include alpha-hydroxynitrile lyase, hydroxynitrile lyase, acetone-cyanhydrin lyase [mis-spelt], acetone-cyanohydrin acetone-lyase, oxynitrilase, 2-hydroxyisobutyronitrile acetone-lyase, 2-hydroxyisobutyronitrile acetone-lyase (cyanide-forming), and acetone-cyanohydrin lyase.