Abstract
A total of 65 isolates representing 13Emericella taxa (5 isolates of each of 12 species and 1 variety) had the ability to transform progesterone into 11α-hydroxyprogesterone. A systematic variation could be observed between the different testedEmericella taxa with respect to the transformation products. The isolates were divided according to the transformation types into six groups: (1) progesterone was hydroxylated into 6β-hydroxyprogesterone, 11α-hydroxyprogesterone and 6β, 11α-dihydroxyprogesterone— found inEmericella acristata andE. dentata; (2) E. aurantio-brunna andE. parvathecia hydroxylated progesterone into 11α-hydroxyprogesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone and 11α,17α-dihydroxyprogesterone; (3)E. nidulans andE. quadrilineata formed the same three products as members of group (2) and form epicortisol; (4)E. nidulans var.lata, E. bicolor andE. variecolor transformed progesterone into a mixture of mono- di-and trihydroxy products; (5)E. striata andE. sublata exhibited an oxidative splitting of the progesterone side chain in position C-17 and hydroxylated progesterone into mono-and dihydroxy products; (6)E. rugulosa andE. unguis had the ability to degrade progesterone side-chain and to hydroxylate it into mono-, di- and trihydroxy products. This biochemical differentiation may supplement the morphological and other biochemical criteria used in the classification of theEmericella taxa.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atta F.M., Zohri A.A.: Transformation reactions of progesterone by different species ofStreptomyces.J. Basic Microbiol. 35, 3–7 (1995).
Benjamin C.R.: Ascocarps ofAspergillus andPenicillium.Mycologia 47, 669–687 (1955).
Berkeley M.J.:Introduction to Cryptogamic Botany. Bailliere London 1857.
Čapek A., Hanč O.: Microbiological transformation of steroids—XIV. Microbial 11β-hydroxylation of steroids.Folia Microbiol. 6, 237–242 (1961).
Čapek A., Hanč O., Tadra M., Túma J.: Microbial transformation of steroids—XXIV. Separation of androsta-17-hydroxy epimers.Folia Microbiol. 9, 380–382 (1964).
Čapek A., Fassatiová O., Hanč O.: Progesterone transformations as a diagnostic feature in the generaAlternaria, Stemphylium andCladosporium.Folia Microbiol. 19, 378–380 (1974).
Čapek A., Fassatiová O., Hanč O.: Progesterone transformation as a diagnostic feature of the generaHumicola andGilmaniella.Folia Microbiol. 20, 166–167 (1975).
Christensen M., Raper K.B.: Synoptic key toAspergillus nidulans group species and relatedEmericella species.Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc. 71, 177–191 (1978).
Dulaney E.L., McAleer W.J., Koslowski M., Stapley E.O., Jaglom J.: Hydroxylation of progesterone and 11-deoxy-17-hydroxycorticosterone byAspergillus andPenicillium.Appl. Microbiol. 3, 336–340 (1955).
El-Refai A.H., Sallam L.A.R. El-Kady I.A.: Microbiological transformations of progesterone.J. Gen. Appl. Microbiol. (Tokyo) 15, 301–307 (1969).
Eman Mostafa M.: Progesterone transformation as a diagnostic feature in the classification of theAspergillus niger group.Lett. Appl. Microbiol. 20, 243–246 (1995).
Frisvad J.C.: Physiological criteria and mycotoxin production as aids in identification of common asymmetric penicillia.Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 41, 568–579 (1981).
Ghanem K.M.: Physiological studies on steroid-transforming microorganisms.PhD Thesis. Faculty of Science, University of Alexandria (Egypt) 1982.
Horie Y.: Ascospore ornamentation and its application to the taxonomic re-evaluation inEmericella.Trans. Mycol. Soc. Japan 21, 483–493 (1980).
Ismail M.A., Zohri A.A.: Confirmation of the relationships ofAspergillus egyptiacus andEmericella nidulans using progesterone transformation.Lett. Appl. Microbiol. 18, 130–131 (1994).
Ismail M.A., Abdel-Sater M.A., Zohri A.A.: A synoptic key to species of theAspergillus nidulellus-Emericella assemblage common to Egypt.Mycotaxon 53, 391–405 (1995).
Khallil A.M., Eman Mostafa M.: Microbiological transformation of progesterone by some zoosporic fungi.J. Basic Microbiol. 36, 255–259 (1996).
Mahato S.B., Mukherjee A.: Steroid transformations by microorganisms—I.Phytochemistry 23, 2131–2154 (1984).
Mahato S.B., Banerjee S., Podder S.: Steroid transformations by microorganisms—III.Phytochemistry 28, 7–40 (1989).
Malloch D., Cain R.F.: New species and combinations of cleistothecialAscomycetes.Can. J. Bot. 50, 61–72 (1972).
Mamoli L., Vercellone A.: Biochemische Umwandlung von Δ4-Androstendione in Δ4-Testosterone. Ein Beitrag zur Genese des Keimdrusenhormons.Vorlauf Mitteil. Ber. 70, 470 (1937).
Mcaleer W.J., Dulaney E.L.: Transformation of progesterone to 17α-hydroxyprogesterone byTrichoderma viride.Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 62, 111–112 (1956).
Meister P.D., Peterson D.H., Murray H.C., Eppstein S.N., Reineke L.M., Weintraub A., Leigh H.M.: Microbiological transformation of steroids—II. The preparation of 11α-hydroxy-17α-progesterone.J. Am. Chem. Soc. 75, 55 (1953).
Monte E., Bridge P.D., Sutton B.C.: An integrated approach toPhoma systematics.Mycopathologia 115, 89–103 (1991).
Peterson D.H.: Microbial transformation of steroids and their application to the preparation of hormones, pp. 537–606 in C. Rainbow, A.H. Rose (Eds):Biochemistry of Industrial Microorganisms. Academic Press, New York-London 1963.
Peterson D.H., Murray H.C.: Microbial oxygenation of steroids at carbon—II.J. Am. Chem. Soc. 74, 1871–1872 (1952).
Peterson D.H., Murray H.C., Eppstein S.N., Reineke L.M., Weintraub A., Meister P.D., Leigh H.M.: Microbiological transformation of steroids—I. Introduction of oxygen at carbon-11 of progesterone.J. Am. Chem. Soc. 74, 5933–5936 (1952).
Peterson D.H., Eppstein, S.H., Meister P.D., Magerlein B.J., Murray H.C., Marian-Leigh H., Weintraub A., Reineke L.M.: Microbiological oxygenation of steroids. The 11-epimer of compound S, a new route to cortisone.J. Am. Chem. Soc. 75, 412–415 (1953).
Raper K.B., Fennell D.I.:The Genus Aspergillus. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore 1965.
Sallam L.A.R., El-Refal A.H., El-Kady I.A.: Thin layer chromatography of some C-18, C-19 and C-21 steroids.J. Gen. Appl. Microbiol. 15, 309–315 (1969).
Sallam L.A., El-Refal A.H., El-Kady I.A.: Transformation of progesterone byAspergillus niger 1000 andRhizopus nigricans RFF 129.Bull. Chem. Soc. Japan 43, 1239–1242 (1970).
Shull G.M., Kita D.A., Davidson J.W. Microbiological oxygenation of steroids.US Pat. 2 658 023 (1953).
Zaffaroni A., Campillo C.C., Cordova F., Rosenkranz G.: Steroids-LXVI. Microbiological hydroxylation of steroids in position 21.Experientia 11, 219 (1955).
Zohri A.A., Abdel-Galil M.S.M.: Progesterone transformation by three species ofHumicola.Folia Microbiol. 44, 277–282 (1999).
Zohri A.A., Ismail M.A.: Based on biochemical and physiological behavior, where isAspergillus egyptiacus better placed?Folia Microbiol. 39, 415–419 (1994).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zohri, A.A. Progesterone transformation as a biochemical aid in classification of the genusEmericella . Folia Microbiol 45, 391–396 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02817611
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02817611