Am. Khallil et E. Mostafa, MICROBIOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION OF PROGESTERONE BY SOME ZOOSPORIC FUNGI, Journal of basic microbiology, 36(4), 1996, pp. 255-259
Twelve isolates of zoosporic fungi belonging to four species (three is
olates each) of the genus Saprolegnia were tested for progesterone bio
transformation. The three isolates tested of each of S. hypogyna and S
. parasitica have the capacity to perform oxidative splitting of the s
ide chain of progesterone with the formation of Delta(4) androstene-3,
17 dione, testosterone and testololactone. All the isolates tested of
S. diclina and S. furcata failed to transform progesterone molecule in
to another steroid derivative. The chromatographic resolution of the m
ixture products obtained when S. hypogyna (isolate No. 1008-2) had act
ed on one gram progesterone revealed the presence of 15% unchanged pro
gesterone, 25% Delta(4)-androstene-3,17-dione, 25% testosterone and 35
% testololactone.