INHIBITION OF STEROID NUCLEUS DEGRADATION IN MYCOBACTERIAL TRANSFORMATIONS

Screening a large number of Mycobacteria showed that most of them metabolize cholesterol (cholest-5-en-3β-ol) and cholest-4-en-3-one resp., and some of them accumulate androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione when the steroid nucleus break-down is inhibited. The 9α-hydroxylation which initiates the degradation of steroids was inhibited by chelating agents. The Mycobacterium phlei strain, studied extensively, formed Δ1,4-3-keto and rostadienes from 5α- and 5β-saturated, Δ1-, Δ4- and Δ5-double bond containing androstanes and 17β-side chain containing steroids reap. © 1968.