Abstract
Microbial 16 β-hydroxylation of some steroids with Wojnowicia graminis, Corticium centrifugwn and Bacillus inegaterium has been reported, but not 16 β-hydroxylation of normal 17-oxo steroids with Aspergillus niger. This time, we tried microbial transformation of dehydroepiandrosterone with this fungus, and obtained 4-androstene-3, 17-dione, 17 β-hydroxy-4-androstene-3, 16-dione, 16 β, 17 β-dihydroxy-4-androsten-3-one and a new compound, 16 β-hydroxy-4-androstene-3, 17-dione. This new compound was also obtained by the fermentation of 4-androstene-3, 17-dione and testosterone.
