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Phosphoribosyltransferases are the tools that allow the synthesis of nucleotide analogues using multi-enzymatic cascades. The recombinant adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (TthAPRT) and hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (TthHPRT) from Thermus thermophilus HB27 were expressed in E.coli strains and purified by chromatographic methods with yields of 10–13 mg per liter of culture. The activity dependence of TthAPRT and TthHPRT on different factors was investigated along with the substrate specificity towards different heterocyclic bases. The kinetic parameters for TthHPRT with natural substrates were determined. Two nucleotides were synthesized: 9-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)-2-chloroadenine 5'-monophosphate (2-Сl-AMP) using TthAPRT and 1-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4-one 5'-monophosphate (Allop-MP) using TthНPRT.

Two approaches to the chemoenzymatic synthesis of 2-fluorocordycepin and 2-chlorocordycepin were studied: (i) the use of 3′-deoxyadenosine (cordycepin) and 3′-deoxyinosine (3′dIno) as donors of 3-deoxy-d-ribofuranose in the transglycosylation of 2-fluoro- (2FAde) and 2-chloroadenine (2ClAde) catalyzed by the recombinant E. coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP), and (ii) the use of 2-fluoroadenosine and 3′-deoxyinosine as substrates of the cross-glycosylation and PNP as a biocatalyst. An efficient method for 3′-deoxyinosine synthesis starting from inosine was developed. However, the very poor solubility of 2ClAde and 2FAde is the limiting factor of the first approach. The second approach enables this problem to be overcome and it appears to be advantageous over the former approach from the viewpoint of practical synthesis of the title nucleosides. The 3-deoxy-α-d-ribofuranose-1-phosphate intermediary formed in the 3′dIno phosphorolysis by PNP was found to be the weak and marginal substrate of E. coli thymidine (TP) and uridine (UP) phosphorylases, respectively. Finally, one-pot cascade transformation of 3-deoxy-d-ribose in cordycepin in the presence of adenine and E. coli ribokinase, phosphopentomutase, and PNP was tested and cordycepin formation in ca. 3.4% yield was proved.

A series of 5,6-disubstituted benzimidazole nucleosides, obtained earlier, did not show any significant antiviral activity at relatively low cytotoxicity in vitro. In the course of our research we have succeeded in introducing an additional fluorine atom into the benzimidazole ring system. A new series of 4,6-difluorobenzimidazoles, bearing various groups (fluoro-, methoxy-, ethoxy-, morpholino-, and pyrrolidino-) in the 5-position of the benzene ring, have been synthesized. All these compounds proved to be substrates for recombinant E. coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) in the transglycosylation reaction. Effective methods for the synthesis of ribo- and 2′-deoxyribonucleosides with high yields (60–90%) have been described, and the formation of regioisomeric N 3-nucleosides of benzimidazoles have been detected. The biological activity of the nucleosides obtained against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) has been elucidated. All compounds show a low cytotoxicity in the cell culture Vero E6. 4,5,6-Trifluoro-1-(β- d -ribofuranosyl)benzimidazole and 5-methoxy-4,6-difluoro-1-(β- d -2′-deoxyribofuranosyl)benzimidazole proved to inhibit completely the progression of the virus cytopathic effect (CPE) at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.01 PFU/cell.

Phosphoribosyltransferases are the tools that allow the synthesis of nucleotide analogues using multi-enzymatic cascades. The recombinant adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (TthAPRT) and hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (TthHPRT) from Thermus thermophilus HB27 were expressed in E.coli strains and purified by chromatographic methods with yields of 10–13 mg per liter of culture. The activity dependence of TthAPRT and TthHPRT on different factors was investigated along with the substrate specificity towards different heterocyclic bases. The kinetic parameters for TthHPRT with natural substrates were determined. Two nucleotides were synthesized: 9-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)-2-chloroadenine 5'-monophosphate (2-Сl-AMP) using TthAPRT and 1-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-4-one 5'-monophosphate (Allop-MP) using TthНPRT.

A wide range of natural purine analogues was used as probe to assess the mechanism of recognition by the wild-type (WT) E. coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) versus its Ser90Ala mutant. The results were analyzed from viewpoint of the role of the Ser90 residue and the structural features of the bases. It was found that the Ser90 residue of the PNP 1) plays an important role in the binding and activation of 8-aza-7-deazapurines in the synthesis of their nucleosides, 2) participates in the binding of α-D-pentofuranose-1-phosphates at the catalytic site of the PNP, and 3) catalyzes the dephosphorylation of intermediary formed 2-deoxy-α-D-ribofuranose-1-phosphate in the trans-2-deoxyribosylation reaction. 5-Aza-7-deazaguanine manifested excellent substrate activity for both enzymes, 8-amino-7-thiaguanine and 2-aminobenzothiazole showed no substrate activity for both enzymes. On the contrary, the 2-amino derivatives of benzimidazole and benzoxazole are substrates and are converted into the N1- and unusual N2-glycosides, respectively. 9-Deaza-5-iodoxanthine showed moderate inhibitory activity of the WT E. coli PNP, whereas 9-deazaxanthine and its 2'-deoxyriboside are weak inhibitors.

A chemo-enzymatic synthesis of 9-(β-D-arabinofuranosyl)-2-fluoroadenine (Fludarabine) and 9-(β-D-arabinofuranosyl)-2-amino-6-methoxypurine (Nelarabine) using α-D-arabinofuranose 1-phosphate as a universal substrate and recombinant E. coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) as a biocatalyst is described. MacDonald's method was employed for the synthesis of α-D-arabinofuranose 1-phosphate, which was prepared as a mixture with β- D -arabinopyranose 1-phosphate, starting from peracyl derivatives of D-arabinose of different isomeric (anomeric) composition. It was found that the mixed phosphates can be successfully used in the reaction with purine base catalyzed by PNP pointing to the inertia of β-D-arabinopyranose 1-phosphate in regard to PNP. Reaction of 2-fluoroadenine and α-D-arabinofuranose 1-phosphate is shifted towards the formation of Fludarabine, whereas the reaction of 2-amino-6-methoxypurine reached equilibrium at a ca. equimolar ratio of the base and Nelarabine. Recombinant E. coli uridine phosphorylase catalyzed the synthesis of 1-(β-D-arabinofuranosyl)thymine (ara-T) from thymine and α-D-arabinofuranose 1-phosphate.