Bioproduction of testosterone from phytosterol by Mycolicibacterium neoaurum strains: "one-pot", two modes

Daria N Tekucheva ¹, Vera M Nikolayeva ², Mikhail V Karpov ²

⁰G.K. Skryabin Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, Federal Research Center "Pushchino Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Prospect Nauki 5, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia. tekuchevadn@gmail.com.

Bioresources and Bioprocessing +

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April 22, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This study demonstrates efficient one-pot testosterone production from phytosterols using Mycolicibacterium neoaurum strains. Optimized conditions yielded a record 4.59 g/L testosterone, highlighting a cost-effective bioproduction method.

Area Of Science

Microbiology
Biotechnology
Biochemistry

Background

Testosterone, the primary male hormone, is crucial for various physiological functions.
Current testosterone production methods can be complex and costly.
Phytosterols offer a readily available and inexpensive precursor for steroid synthesis.

Purpose Of The Study

To develop an efficient one-pot bioproduction method for testosterone from phytosterols.
To optimize the bioconversion process using specific microbial strains.
To achieve high yields of testosterone bypassing intermediate compound isolation.

Main Methods

Utilized Mycolicibacterium neoaurum VKM Ac-1815D and Ac-1816D strains for phytosterol bioconversion.
Employed a two-stage process within a single bioreactor: oxidative conversion to 17-ketoandrostanes and reductive conversion to testosterone.
Optimized conditions including aerobic and microaerophilic environments, and glucose supplementation for the reductive stage.

Main Results

Both M. neoaurum strains successfully converted phytosterols to testosterone.
The highest reported testosterone yield of 4.59 g/L (molar yield >66%) was achieved using M. neoaurum VKM Ac-1815D from 10 g/L phytosterol.
Optimized microaerophilic conditions and glucose supplementation significantly enhanced testosterone production.

Conclusions

Mycolicibacterium neoaurum strains are effective for the direct bioproduction of testosterone from phytosterols.
The developed one-pot method offers a significant advancement for cost-effective testosterone synthesis.
This research contributes valuable insights into phytosterol bioconversion pathways and microbial steroid production.

Keywords:

Mycolicibacterium neoaurum 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase Phytosterol Testosterone “One-pot” bioproduction