STUDIES ON THE MECHANISM OF PROGESTERONE TRANSFORMATION WITH RHIZOPUS NIGRICANS

Abstract

Various enzymic transformation of progesterone with Rhizopus nigricans REF. 129 was studied by allowing the fermentation to proceed at different time intervals ranging from 2 to 192hr. The monohydroxylated compounds, 11α-, 17α-, and 21-hydroxyprogesterone, were formed at the early stage of fermentation. Later on, 11α-hydroxyallopregnane, followed by 6β, 11α, dihydroxyprogesterone, and then 11α, 17α-dihydroxy derivative and epicortisol were detected.
Different derivatives of progesterone were used as substrates in a trial to investigate the pathways of progesterone transformation by the experimental organism. A scheme is put forward summarizing these reactions.