ABSTRACT
Cyanide has long held a prominent position amongst metabolic inhibitors, best known as an inhibitor of aerobic respiration [1]. However, given the ubiquity of cyanide and cyanogenic (cyanide-containing) compounds in nature, it is not surprising that these compounds can be biologically transformed or utilized. The metabolic capacity to transform cyanogenic compounds no doubt stems from the substantial impact that cyanide had on the early development of life in a Hadean atmosphere, which contained a significant concentration of cyanide. These metabolic pathways for cyanide transformation are not only influenced by the presence of cyanide but also by environmental factors, including pH, available carbon sources, and oxygen.
