title: Production of androgens by microbial transformation of progesterone in vitro: a model for androgen production in rivers.
abstract: We have previously documented the presence of progesterone and androstenedione in the water column and bottom sediments of the Fenholloway River, Taylor County, Florida. This river receives paper mill effluent and contains masculinized female mosquitofish. We hypothesized that plant sterols (e.g., ss-sitosterol) derived from the pulping of pine trees are transformed by bacteria into progesterone and subsequently into 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, and other androgens. In this study, we demonstrate that these same androgens can be produced in vitro from the bacterium Mycobacterium smegmatis. In a second part to this study, we reextracted and reanalyzed the sediment from the Fenholloway River and verified the presence of androstadienedione, a delta1 steroid with androgen activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Ronald L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Angus
authors.forename: W Mike
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Marione
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nance
authors.forename: Amber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D001711:Biotransformation; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary; D005399:Fishes; D005431:Florida; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007220:Industrial Waste; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D020102:Mycobacterium smegmatis / Q000502:physiology; D010209:Paper; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D045483:Rivers; D013261:Sterols / Q000378:metabolism; D014197:Trees; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D007220:Industrial Waste; D013261:Sterols; D011374:Progesterone