Green biosynthesis of floxuridine by immobilized microorganisms

Abstract

This work describes an efficient, simple, and green bioprocess for obtaining 5-halogenated pyrimidine nucleosides from thymidine by transglycosylation using whole cells. Biosynthesis of 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine (floxuridine) was achieved by free and immobilized Aeromonas salmonicida ATCC 27013 with an 80% and 65% conversion occurring in 1 h, respectively. The immobilized biocatalyst was stable for more than 4 months in storage conditions (4 °C) and could be reused at least 30 times without loss of its activity. This microorganism was able to biosynthesize 2.0 mg L -1 min -1 (60%) of 5-chloro-2′-deoxyuridine in 3 h. These halogenated pyrimidine 2′-deoxynucleosides are used as antitumoral agents. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies.