Thirty-three isolates belonging to six species of the genus Trichoderma were tested for the ability to hydroxylate progesterone to 11alpha-, 11beta-, 11alpha,17alpha- and 6beta, 17alpha-derivatives, and epicortisol. T. aureoviride, T. harzianum, T. polysporum and T. pseudokoningii produced 11alpha-hydroxyprogesterone. T. harzianum and T. hamatum can form only the 11beta-isomer. T. koningii and T. hamatum produced 11alpha-, 11beta-, 11alpha,17alpha- and 6beta,11alpha-hydroxy derivatives. 11alpha, 11beta, 6beta,11alpha- and 11alpha,17alpha-hydroxyprogesterones and epicortisol are produced by T. aureoviride and T. pseudokoningii. Cortisol was produced only when the medium was fortified by 10 g/L peptone. This is the first record of conversion of progesterone to mono-, di- and trihydroxyprogesterones by these Trichoderma species.

• MeSH
• Biotransformation MeSH
• Hydroxylation MeSH
• Progesterone chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Trichoderma growth & development   isolation & purification   metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Progesterone MeSH

Seventy isolates belonging to 6 species and one variety of A. flavus group were shown to degrade the progesterone side-chain to yield delta 4-androstene-3,17-dione and testosterone. The isolates of five species (A. flavo-furcatis, A. flavus, A. oryzae, A. parasiticus and A. tamarii) possessed enzyme systems catalyzing the opening of ring D and formed testololactone as final steroid metabolite in addition to their ability to produce the above mentioned two products. 11 beta-Hydroxy-delta 4-androstene-3,17-dione was formed by only A. flavus and A. tamarii while 11 beta-hydroxytestosterone was produced by A. flavo-furcatis, A. parasiticus and A. subolivaceus. The chromatographic resolution of the mixture products obtained (when the selective isolate of each species reacted with 1 g of progesterone) revealed that 60-75% of progesterone was converted into delta 4-androstene-3,17-dione (8-30%), testosterone (7-33%), testololactone (14-37%) and other products (3-40%). The most bioconversion activity was exhibited by A. oryzae, followed by A. parasiticus. The highest values of delta 4-androstene-3,17-dione (30% of added progesterone) and testosterone (33%) were formed by A. flavus var. columnaris while those of testololactone (37%) were produced by A. oryzae. A systematic variation could be observed between the different tested species of A. flavus group with respect to the transformation reactions of progesterone. Comparative biotransformation results showed that essential differences exist between the tested species in this group; this biochemical differentiation may supplement the morphological and other physiological criteria used in the identification of the different species in the A. flavus group.

• MeSH
• Androstenes metabolism   MeSH
• Aspergillus flavus classification   growth & development   metabolism   MeSH
• Mycological Typing Techniques MeSH
• Progesterone chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Spectrophotometry, Infrared MeSH
• Testolactone metabolism   MeSH
• Testosterone metabolism   MeSH
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Androstenes MeSH
• Progesterone MeSH
• Testolactone MeSH
• Testosterone MeSH

• Keywords
• PENICILLIUM/metabolism *, PROGESTERONE/metabolism *, TESTOSTERONE/metabolism *,
• MeSH
• Penicillium metabolism   MeSH
• Progesterone metabolism   MeSH
• Testosterone metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Progesterone MeSH
• Testosterone MeSH