Solvent-Enhanced Transformations of Steroids by Beauveria Bassiana

The filamentous fungus Beauveria bassiana has the capacity to enhance the yield and hydroxylation selectivity of steroid biotransformation. Organic solvents serve as carbon sources during growth of B. bassiana and have been shown to induce the expression of oxidative enzymes. Expression varies with the alkane compound. Current research efforts apply organic solvents to enhance the conversion of androst-4-ene-3,17-dione to desired steroid products. The long-term goal is to standardize and control the biocatalysis capacity of B. bassiana in the biotransformation of a variety of steroids under different operational parameters. The selection of suitable n-alkane solvent for optimal yield and selectivity, and the determination of the optimal pH and reaction times will be presented.  This research will provide new insight on the synthesis of steroids that are challenging to obtain by conventional chemistry. It will also offer enhancement opportunities for industrial applications utilizing steroid molecules.