[Two different fermentation techniques of steriod 1,4-dehydrogenation and 11 alpha-hydroxylation]

Two kinds of micro-organism, Arthrobacter sp. AX86(1,4-dehdrogenator) and Absidia sp. A28(11 alpha-hydroxylator) were used in this experiment. Two different fermentation techniques were performed to accomplish the multiple conversional reactions for producing 16 beta-methyl-11 alpha,17 alpha,21-trihydroxy-1,4-pregnadiene-3,20-dione(III) from 16 beta-methyl-3 beta,17 alpha,21-trihydroxy-5 alpha-pregnane-20-one-21-acetate(I): 1) To produce product(III) by means of a two-step fermentation method which were independently performed first by Arthrobacter and next by Absiaia, and 2) the product was obtained by a sequential fermentation system of aforesaid two micro-organisms in a single fermentor without isolation of the intermediates from the mixture. Our results showed that in both fermentation systems high yield of product was obtained. However, according to the technical simplicity, shorter duration of fermentation cycle and efficient yield of product, the second method is better than the first one.