Biotransformation of 2,6‐diaminopurine nucleosides by immobilized Geobacillus stearothermophilus

An efficient and green bioprocess to obtain 2,6‐diaminopurine nucleosides using thermophilic bacteria is herein reported. Geobacillus stearothermophilus CECT 43 showed a conversion rate of 90 and 83% at 2 h to obtain 2,6‐diaminopurine‐2′‐deoxyriboside and 2,6‐diaminopurine riboside, respectively. The selected biocatalyst was successfully stabilized in an agarose matrix and used to produce up to 23.4 g of 2,6‐diaminopurine‐2′‐deoxyriboside in 240 h of process. These nucleoside analogues can be used as prodrug precursors or in antisense oligonucleotide synthesis. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2012