title: Microbial degradation of the phytosterol side-chain to 24-oxo products.
abstract: A mutant of the potent sterol degrader Mycobacterium fortuitum (ATCC 6842) has been isolated which is defective in its ability to degrade both the steroid nucleus and sterol side-chains that are branched at the 24-position. Bioconversions of phytosterol mixtures by this mutant resulted in the accumulation of the novel 24-oxo intermediates 9-hydroxy-27-nor-4-cholestene-3,24-dione (II) and 9-hydroxy-26,27-dinor-4-cholestene-3,24-dione (III). Under the same conditions, cholesterol is degraded mainly to 9-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione (I) by this organism.
mesh_terms: D001711:Biotransformation; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D002845:Chromatography; D009154:Mutation; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000378:metabolism*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis
chemical_list: D010840:Phytosterols; D002784:Cholesterol