Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026

A Toolkit to Enable Hydrocarbon Conversion in Aqueous Environments
Published on: October 2, 2012
Transformation of chenodeoxycholic acid by thermophilic Geobacillus stearothermophilus
Mohammad Afzal1, Sosamma Oommen, Samira Al-Awadi
1Department of Biological Sciences, Kuwait University, Kuwait City. afzalq8@gmail.com
Abstract:
We performed a series of experiments with Geobacillus stearothermophilus, a thermophile isolated from oil-contaminated soil in the Kuwaiti desert. The organism has a good potential for the transformation of a broad spectrum of organic molecules such as steroids, amino acids, and aromatic hydrocarbons. In the present study, we tested its potential for the transformation of a bile component, chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA). Five transformed products, namely, cholic acid, methylcholate, methylchenodeoxycholate, 3α-hydroxy-7-oxo-5β-cholanic acid, and 7α-hydroxy-3-oxo-5β-cholanic acid, were the major transformation products catalyzed by G. stearothermophilus. Under aerobic conditions, no evidence of side chain degradation, ring cleavage, or dehydrogenation was found among the metabolites of CDCA. CDCA transformation by a thermophile is reported for the first time.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Bacterial Transformation
Griffith made an unexpected discovery when he killed the pathogenic strain and mixed its remains with the live, non-pathogenic strain. Not only did the mixture kill host mice, but it also contained living pathogenic bacteria that...
Transformation
Hyperthermophilic Bacteria
Bacterial Gastroenteritis
Production of Organic Acids
Production of Antibiotics
