Production of N-carbamoyl-D-phenylalanine by hydantoinase method coupled with in situ product removal

The purified D-hydantoinase was immobilized on EAH sepharose 4B via the carbodiimide method with a yield of enzyme activity up to 79.44%. The immobilized hydantoinase showed remarkable stability at 4°C. An integrated process of N-carbamoyl-D-phenylalanine (N-D-Phe) synthesis from D, L-5-benzylhydantoin (D, L-BH) catalyzed by immobilized D-hydantoinase coupled with an ion-exchange unit for in situ product removal (ISPR) was established. The variation of pH and conversion in the fixed-bed reactor with or without ISPR was compared at different temperatures, initial substrate concentrations and volumes of adsorbent. Within 24 h, the pH value in the reactor with ISPR could be kept at the alkaline range, which was beneficial to the enzymatic conversion and racemization of L-5-benzyl hydantoinase. This led to a higher overall conversion of 62.725% under optimal operation conditions, an increase of 89.3% compared with the fixed-bed reactor without ISPR.