Fungal transformation of androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione by Aspergillus brasiliensis.
BACKGROUND
The biotransformation of steroids by fungal biocatalysts has been recognized for many years. There are numerous fungi of the genus Aspergillus which have been shown to transform different steroid substances. The possibility of using filamentous fungi Aspergillus brasiliensis cells in the biotransformation of androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione, was evaluated.


METHODS
The fungal strain was inoculated into the transformation medium which supplemented with androstadienedione as a substrate and fermentation continued for 5 days. The metabolites were extracted and isolated by thin layer chromatography. The structures of these metabolites were elucidated using (1)H-NMR, broadband decoupled (13)C-NMR, EI Mass and IR spectroscopies.


RESULTS
The fermentation yielded one reduced product: 17β-hydroxyandrost-1,4-dien-3-one and two hydroxylated metabolites: 11α-hydroxyandrost-1,4-diene-3,17-dione and 12β-hydroxyandrost-1,4-diene-3,17-dione.


CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained in this study show that A. brasiliendsis could be considered as a biocatalyst for producing important derivatives from androstadienedione.
Department of Pharmacognosy and Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Vali-e Asr Ave., Niayesh Junction, Tehran, 1996835113, Iran. tahere_ha77@yahoo.com.
Tahereh
T
Hosseinabadi
Department of Pharmacognosy and Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Vali-e Asr Ave., Niayesh Junction, Tehran, 1996835113, Iran. h.vahidi@sbmu.ac.ir.
Hossein
H
Vahidi
Department of Pharmacognosy and Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Vali-e Asr Ave., Niayesh Junction, Tehran, 1996835113, Iran. bnickavar@sbmu.ac.ir.
Bahman
B
Nickavar
Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Vali-e Asr Ave., Niayesh Junction, Tehran, 1996835113, Iran. farzadkf@yahoo.com.
Farzad
F
Kobarfard
D000730:Androstadienes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D055162:Biocatalysis; D001711:Biotransformation; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D005285:Fermentation; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013997:Time Factors
D000730:Androstadienes; C006573:1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione