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

A total of 65 isolates representing 13 Emericella taxa (5 isolates of each of 12 species and 1 variety) had the ability to transform progesterone into 11 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone. A systematic variation could be observed between the different tested Emericella taxa with respect to the transformation products. The isolates were divided according to the transformation types into six groups: (1) progesterone was hydroxylated into 6 beta-hydroxyprogesterone, 11 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and 6 beta,11 alpha-dihydroxyprogesterone--found in Emericella acristata and E. dentata; (2) E. aurantio-brunna and E. parvathecia hydroxylated progesterone into 11 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone and 11 alpha,17 alpha-dihydroxyprogesterone; (3) E. nidulans and E. quadrilineata formed the same three products as members of group (2) and form epicortisol; (4) E. nidulans var. lata, E. bicolor and E. variecolor transformed progesterone into a mixture of mono-, di- and trihydroxy products; (5) E. striata and E. sublata exhibited an oxidative splitting of the progesterone side chain in position C-17 and hydroxylated progesterone into mono- and dihydroxy products; (6) E. rugulosa and E. unguis had the ability to degrade progesterone side-chain and to hydroxylate it into mono-, di- and trihydroxy products. This biochemical differentiation may supplement the morphological and other biochemical criteria used in the classification of the Emericella taxa.

• MeSH
• Ascomycota classification   growth & development   metabolism   MeSH
• Chromatography, Thin Layer MeSH
• Hydroxyprogesterones metabolism   MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH
• Mycological Typing Techniques MeSH
• Progesterone metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• 11-hydroxyprogesterone MeSH Browser
• Hydroxyprogesterones MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH
• Progesterone MeSH

• MeSH
• Antifungal Agents isolation & purification   MeSH
• Biotransformation MeSH
• Histocytochemistry MeSH
• Catalysis MeSH
• Mitosporic Fungi classification   metabolism   MeSH
• Progesterone metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Antifungal Agents MeSH
• Progesterone MeSH

• MeSH
• Chemical Phenomena MeSH
• Chemistry MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Hydroxyprogesterones biosynthesis   MeSH
• Mitosporic Fungi metabolism   MeSH
• Progesterone metabolism   MeSH
• Steroids metabolism   MeSH
• Testolactone biosynthesis   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Hydroxyprogesterones MeSH
• Progesterone MeSH
• Steroids MeSH
• Testolactone MeSH

• MeSH
• Androstenedione biosynthesis   MeSH
• Chemical Phenomena MeSH
• Chemistry MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Mitosporic Fungi classification   metabolism   MeSH
• Progesterone metabolism   MeSH
• Testolactone biosynthesis   MeSH
• Testosterone biosynthesis   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Androstenedione MeSH
• Progesterone MeSH
• Testolactone MeSH
• Testosterone MeSH