TRANSFORMATION OF CHOLIC-ACID BY ARTHROBACTER-SIMPLEX

Fermentation of cholic acid with Arthrobacter simplex (IICB 227) under aerobic conditions yielded 3,12-dioxo-23,24-dinorchola-4,6-dienoic ac id, 7alpha-hydroxy-3,12-dioxo-23,24-dinorchol-4-enoic acid, 3alpha, 7a lpha-dihydroxy-12-oxo-5beta-cholan-24-oic acid, ha-dihydroxy-12-oxo-5b eta-23,24-dinorcholan-22-oic acid, 7alpha, 12alpha-dihydroxy-3-oxo-5be ta-cholan-24-oic acid, 7alpha-12alpha-dihydroxy-3-oxo-4-cholenoic acid , ha,12alpha-dihydroxy-3-oxo-23,24-dinorchol-4-enoic acid, and methyl- 3alpha-7alpha, 12alpha-trihydroxy-5beta-cholan-24-oate in addition to a new metabolite ta-hydroxy-3,12-dioxo-23,24-dinorchola-4,6-dienoic ac id. Each microbial metabolite was characterized by the application of various spectroscopic methods. The availability of some of the metabol ites' enabled complete elucidation of their C-13 NMR spectra.