Bioconversion of steroids by the testes of the American lobster, Homarus americanus, in vitro.
Lobster testes have been demonstrated to contain steroid 20-ketone reductase by their capacity to convert [14C]progesterone to 20 alpha-dihydroprogesterone (20 alpha-DHP). The major product was isopolar and identical with 20 alpha-DHP during thin-layer chromatography, high-pressure liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and acetate derivative formation. The vas deferens from the lobster was also capable of the same conversions but to a lesser extent. Lobster testes converted [14C]pregnenolone to a major product identified as 20-dihydropregnenolone (20-DHPe) by mass spectrometry after purification by thin-layer chromatography and high-pressure liquid chromatography. The presence of delta 5,3 beta-ol dehydrogenase and delta 5,delta 4-isomerase in the lobster were also indicated. [14C]Cholesterol was not transformed to steroid hormones by lobster testes under the same experimental conditions.
D000818:Animals; D001711:Biotransformation; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D046508:Culture Techniques; D008297:Male; D008121:Nephropidae; D011284:Pregnenolone / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000378:metabolism
D011374:Progesterone; D011284:Pregnenolone