BIOLOGICAL PROCESS FOR PRODUCING STEROIDS HYDROXYLATED AT THE 25-POSITION

摘要

A biological process for preparing 25-hydroxylated steroids which comprises adding a steroid (except cholesterol) to microbial cells of an amycolata or sphingomonas capable of hydroxylating steroids at the 25-position or a culture thereof to thereby replace the hydrogen atom bonded to the 25-position carbon atom of the steroid by a hydroxyl group. According to this process, all steroids except chholesterol can biologically be hydroxylated at the 25position by using a microorganism other than those belonging to the genus Streptomyces.