The study of alkanotrophic Rhodococci ability to biotransform stigmast-5-en-3-ol

Amongst actinobacteria possessing high oxygenase activities and stored in the Regional specialised collection of alkanotrophic microorganisms lEGM (www.ecologv.psu.ru/iegmcol/strainsA. there were identified Rhodococcus spp. strains catalysing process of bioconversion of stigmast-5-en-3P-ol (P-sytosterol) to stigmast-4-en-3-one under cooxidative cultivation of rhodococci on mineral salts medium supplemented with и-hexadecane. In the presence of glucose and the inhibitor 2,2'-dipyridil, rhodococci cells were determined to convert stigmast-5-en- Зр-о1 to 17P-hydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one (testosterone), with the latter being widely used for pharmaceutical purposes.