Biotransformation of halogenated nucleosides by immobilized Lactobacillus animalis 2′- N -deoxyribosyltransferase

An immobilized biocatalyst with 2′-N-deoxyribosyltransferase (NDT) activity, Lactobacillus animalis NDT (LaNDT), was developed from cell free extracts. LaNDT was purified, characterized and then immobilized by ionic interaction. Different process parameters were optimized, resulting in an active derivative (2.6 U/g) able to obtain 1.75 mg/g of 5-fluorouracil-2′-deoxyriboside, an antimetabolite known as floxuridine, used in gastrointestinal...