Microbial Transformations of Steroids: A Handbook aims to provide those who wish to use microbial transformations of steroids with a single source book starting from 1937 to the present. The handbook first offers information on the history of the microbial transformations of organic compounds, including earliest works on the study of nonsteroids and steroids; significance of discovery of anti-inflammatory action of cortisone; first hydroxylations and dehydrogenations; manufacture of natural and synthetic corticosteroids; and trends in research. The text then ponders on chemical classification of microbial transformations of steroids, as well as the role of enzymes in microbial transformations and the classes of reactions. The publication elaborates on the construction and use of the table. Topics include order of the table, nomenclature, description of the transformation leading to the product, yield, organism, and constants. The book also focuses on taxonomy and use of the table, including system of classification, specific notes on divisions of the table, and source of cultures. The handbook is a valuable source of data for readers interested in the microbial transformations of steroids.

This volume provides practical experimental laboratory protocols for a wide range of steroid bioconversions. The chapters in this book cover topics such as bioconversions and chemical synthesis pathways; strain characterization; bioconversion from sterols to androstenedione and androstadienedione; steroid hydroxylations; biocatalysis; and downstream processes to purify steroid intermediates. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and thorough, Microbial Steroids: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for laboratory and industrial professionals. It is also useful for graduate students studying biotechnology, microbiology, genetics, and molecular biology.

Fundamental studies of steroid compounds have begun approximately thirty years ago with the solution of structures of cholesterol and bile acids. This field has been receiving more attention when the structures of the principal steroid hormones, aglycones of heart glycosides, sapogenins, steroid alkaloids, toad poisons have been established. An intensive interest in these derivatives of cyc1opentanoperhydrophe nanthrene was determined especially by practical viewpoints, notably by attempts to prepare by synthetical economical procedures a series of steroid hormones and their biologically active derivatives, further by theoretical viewpoints. Biochemistry of steroids was developing in its beginnings by studies of meta bolites of steroid hormones in animal organism and soon has brought a number of practical results that could be used also in medical diagnostics. Considerably later, the metabolism of steroid compounds was followed also in microorganisms, again in connection with the practical problem to aid to economical syntheses of some steroid hormones. Two names are of primary importance for the pioneer works in microbial transformations of steroids, that of the Italian worker L. MAMOLI who first realized the microbial biosynthesis of testosterone from dehydroepiandro sterone, and of the American chemist and microbiologist D. H. PETERSON, who has contributed by his fundamental experiments in microbial hydroxylation of steroids to the position eleven, especially to the synthesis of cortisone. Microbial transforma tions of steroids nowadays offer a valuable tool in the preparation of series otherwise difficultly accessible steroid compounds.

The steroid scaffold continues to be the structural basis of new drugs for a variety of targets and diseases. Indeed, steroids interact with enzymes and receptors in a strikingly specific manner. Chemistry and Biological Activity of Steroids aims to provide an updated overview of recent advances in the medicinal chemistry of steroids. Novel synthetic methods in the steroids field, including steroid biotransformations, new steroids able to tackle steroid receptors, and steroid enzymes with clinical relevance, are critically reviewed in this book. Furthermore, the diverse physiopathological roles of oxysterols and their therapeutic value are also discussed.

Microbes play a major role in the degradation of various pollutants. Therefore, microbes find potential application in the area of energy and environmental technology. The book provides in-depth literature on the topics of environmental and industrial importance. It is compiled to explore the application of microbe used in the degradation of aflatoxin, polymers, biomass into fuel, disinfectants, food products, xenobiotic compounds, lipids, steroids, organic pollutants, proteins, oil waste, and wastewater pollutants. This book will be of interest to teachers, researchers, scientists, and capacity builders. Also, the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of microbiology and environmental sciences. National and international remediation and restoration scientists, policymakers will also find this to be a useful read.

This book consists of an introductory overview of secondary metabolites, which are classified into four main sections: microbial secondary metabolites, plant secondary metabolites, secondary metabolites through tissue culture technique, and regulation of secondary metabolite production. This book provides a comprehensive account on the secondary metabolites of microorganisms, plants, and the production of secondary metabolites through biotechnological approach like the plant tissue culture method. The regulatory mechanisms of secondary metabolite production in plants and the pharmaceutical and other applications of various secondary metabolites are also highlighted. This book is considered as necessary reading for microbiologists, biotechnologists, biochemists, pharmacologists, and botanists who are doing research in secondary metabolites. It should also be useful to MSc students, MPhil and PhD scholars, scientists, and faculty members of various science disciplines.

The field of industrial microbiology involves a thorough knowledge of the microbial physiology behind the processes in the large-scale, profit-oriented production of microbe-related goods which are the subject of the field. In recent times a paradigm shift has occurred, and a molecular understanding of the various processes by which plants, animals and microorganisms are manipulated is now central to industrial microbiology. Thus the various applications of industrial microbiology are covered broadly, with emphasis on the physiological and genomic principles behind these applications. Relevance of the new elements such as bioinformatics, genomics, proteomics, site-directed mutation and metabolic engineering, which have necessitated the paradigm shift in industrial microbiology are discussed.

The term steroid has become virtually synonymous with drug abuse in sport to the majority of the public. However these steroids - androgens - actually comprise only a single relatively small class of biologically active steroids, and are overshadowed by a large collection of compounds, a sizeable number of which are commercial drugs that share the same structural carbon skeleton. The development of these drugs has led to a large body of organic chemistry often denoted as "Steroid Chemistry". Steroid Chemistry At A Glance provides a concise overview of the main principles and reactions of steroid chemistry. Topics covered include: history, isolation and structure determination of steroids steroid nomenclature and stereochemistry natural sources of steroids synthesis and reactions of aromatic a-ring steroids, androstanes, and pregnanes steroids with a spirolactone at position 17 steroids with hetrocyclic ring A compounds derived from cholesterol Based on the highly successful and student friendly "at a glance" approach, the information is presented in integrated, self contained double page spreads of text and illustrative material. Students of chemistry and pharmacy using Steroid Chemistry at a Glance will find they have a resource with which they can quickly, concisely and confidently acquire, regularly review and revise the basic facts that underpin the properties, synthesis and reactions of this important class of natural products. It will also serve as a handy bench reference for postgraduates and professional chemists.

Biotechnology is now one of the major growth areas in science and engineering and within this broad discipline enzyme technology is one of the areas earmarked for special and significant developments. This publication is the second edition of Microbial Enzymes and Biotechnol ogy which was originally published in 1983. In this edition the editors have attempted to bring together accounts (by the relevant experts) of the current status of the major areas of enzyme technology and specifically those areas of actual and/or potential commercial importance. Although the use of microbial enzymes may not have expanded at quite the rate expected a decade ago, there is nevertheless intense activity and considerable interest in the whole area of enzyme technology. Microbial enzymes have been used in industry for many centuries although it is only comparatively recently that detailed knowledge relating to their nature, properties and function has become more evident. Developments in the 1960s gave a major thrust to the use of microbial enzymes in industry. The commercial success of alkaline proteases and amyloglucosidases formed a bed-rock for subsequent research and development in the area.

The completely revised second edition of this user-friendly and application-oriented overview of one-step biotransformations of industrial importance. Based on extensive literature and patent research, this book is unique in arranging each process in a systematic way to allow for easy comparison. All the chapters have been rewritten, with all the processes updated and more than 30 new processes added. Each set of data is accompanied by key literature citations, supported by flow sheets where available, reduced to their significant elements. In addition, an extensive index classified by substrates, products, enzymes, and companies provides direct access to each process, organized according to enzyme class. Biotechnologists, biochemists, microbiologists, process engineers and those working in the chemical and biotechnological industries will find here all the significant parameters characterizing both the biotransformation and the process.