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Biotransformation of progesterone by the ascomycete Aspergillus niger N402

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Abstract

The ability of the ascomyceteAspergillus niger N402 to transform exogenous progesterone was investigated. We found that this strain has steroid-hydroxylating activity and can introduce a hydroxyl group into the progesterone molecule mainly at positions C11(α) and C21 with predominant formation of 21-hydroxyprogesterone (deoxycortone). In addition, formation of 6β,11α-dihydroxyprogesterone was also observed. Studying the effects of the growth medium composition and temperature on progesterone conversion by A. niger N402 showed that the most intense accumulation of 21-hydroxyprogesterone occurred in minimal synthetic medium at 28°C. Increasing the cultivation temperature to 37°C resulted in almost complete inhibition of the hydroxylase activity in the minimal medium. In the complete medium, a similar increase in temperature inhibited 11α-hydroxylase activity and completely suppressed 6β-hydroxylase activity, but it produced no effect on 21-hydroxylating activity.

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Abbreviations

CM:

complete medium

HRMS:

high-resolution mass spectrometry

MM:

minimal medium

NMR:

nuclear magnetic resonance

TLC:

thin-layer chromatography

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Biotechnology Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071, Moscow, Russia

    O. S. Savinova, D. V. Vasina, T. V. Tyazhelova & T. V. Fedorova

  2. Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991, Moscow, Russia

    P. N. Solyev

  3. Faculty of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia

    T. S. Savinova

Authors
  1. O. S. Savinova
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  2. P. N. Solyev
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  3. D. V. Vasina
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  4. T. V. Tyazhelova
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  5. T. V. Fedorova
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  6. T. S. Savinova
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to O. S. Savinova.

Additional information

Original Russian Text © O. S. Savinova, P. N. Solyev, D. V. Vasina, T. V. Tyazhelova, T. V. Fedorova, T. S. Savinova, 2018, published in Biokhimiya, 2018, Vol. 83, No. 1, pp. 71-77.

Originally published in Biochemistry (Moscow) On-Line Papers in Press, as Manuscript BM17-361, November 20, 2017.

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Savinova, O.S., Solyev, P.N., Vasina, D.V. et al. Biotransformation of progesterone by the ascomycete Aspergillus niger N402. Biochemistry Moscow 83, 26–31 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0006297918010030

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0006297918010030

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