Progesterone 6-hydroxylation is catalysed by cytochrome P-450 in the moderate thermophile Bacillus thermoglucosidasius strain 12060

Abstract

The moderate thermophile, Bacillus thermoglucosidasius, transforms progesterone into four metabolites. These are 6 α- and 6 β-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione and testosterone. This is the first report of bacterial 6 α-hydroxylation of steroids. The identity of the progesterone metabolites shows that there are three major types of transforming activity in this organism; C-17–C-20 lyase that cleaves the pregnane side chain of the substrate, C-17 oxidoreductase that interconverts the metabolites androstenedione and testosterone, and 6-hydroxylation. 6-hydroxylation activity was purified virtually to homogeneity and was shown to be catalysed by a cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase enzyme. This is the first report of a thermostable cytochrome P-450.