Abstract
A Mutated strain of Nocardia corallina IFO 3338 accumulated following substances as cholesterol degradation products, 3aα-H-4α-[3'-propionic acid]-5α-hydroxy-7aβ-methylhexa-hydro-l-indanone-δ-lactone (VIII), 3aα-H-4α-[3'-trans acrylic acid]-5α-hydroxy-7aβ-methyl-hexahydro-l-indanone (IX) and 3aα-H-4α-acetyl-5α-hydroxy-7aβ-methylhexahydro-1-inda-none (X). Substance X is a new compound in the microbial degradation of sterols.
These substances were also produced from steroid other than cholesterol, such as β-chole-stanol, β-sitosterol, soy bean sterol (mixture), cholest-4-en-3-one, lithocholic acid, cholic acid and progesterone.
A degradation pathway has been proposed for steroids by Nocardia corallina: cholesterol or other sterols_??_3aα-H-4α-[3'-propionic acid]-7aβ-methylhexahydro-l, 5-indanedione or compound VIII_??_3aα-H-4α-[3'-trans acrylic acid]-7aβ-methylhexahydro-l, 5-indanedione or compound IX_??_3aα-H-4α-acetyl-7aβ-methylhexahydro-1, 5-indanedione or compound X_??_C02+H2O.
