Influence of cholesterol oxidase activity inductors in rhodococci cells on β-sitosterol bioconversion

Possible induction of cholesterol oxidase activity of rhodococci cells towards ƒ-sitosterol bioconversion was investigated. It was shown that rhodococci more effectively catalyzed cholesterol oxidase reaction in the presence of aliphatic acids; this resulted in the increased levels of stigmast-4-ene-3-one formation from ƒ-sitosterol. Thus, rhodococci cells catalyzed up to 55 % stigmast-4-ene-3-one formation in the presence of palmitic acids.