Enhancing production and purity of 9-OH-AD from phytosterols by
balancing metabolic flux of the side-chain degradation and 9-position
hydroxylation in Mycobacterium neoaurum
Abstract
9α-Hydroxyandroster-4-ene-3,17-dione (9-OH-AD) is a representative
steroid drug intermediate that can be prepared by phytosterols (PS)
biotransformation with mycobacteria in a resting cell-cyclodextrin
system. In this study, over-expression of 17β-hydroxysteroid
dehydrogenase (Hsd4A) was testified to enhance the side-chain
degradation of PS and to reduce the incomplete degradation by-products.
Meanwhile, the complete degradation product 4-androstene-3,17-dione (AD)
was increased due to lack of 3-Ketosteroid 9α-Hydroxylase (KshA1)
activities. To increase the production and purity of 9-OH-AD, the
metabolic pathway of the side-chain degradation of PS and 9-position
hydroxylation was modulated by balancing the over-expression of Hsd4A
and KshA1 in mycobacteria and reducing the bioconversion rate via
lowering the ratio of PS and cyclodextrin. The production and purity of
9-OH-AD in broth were improved from 22.18 g/L and 77.13% to 28.27 g/L
and 87.84%, with a molar yield of 78.32%.