Increased Yield of Biotransformation of Androsta-1, 4-Dien-3, 17-Dione from Β-Sitosterol by Using Sulfobutyl Ether-Β-Cyclodextrin Complexation Technique

Abstract

Substrate solubility in steroid biotransformation is critical for enhancing the biotransformation of hydrophobic compounds. In this study, the sulfobutyl ether-ȕ-cyclodextrin (SBE-ȕ-CD) complexation technique was used for the biotransformation of ȕ-sitosterol to androsta-1, 4-diene-3, 17-dione with Mycobacterium ATCC25795. The production yield was increased by 26.72%, and the biotransformation course was shortened by 24h using ȕ-sitosterol/SBE-ȕ-CD inclusion complexes as substrates (1.0 g/L). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry indicated that an inclusion complex was formed between SBE-ȕ-CD and ȕ-sitosterol. The complex significantly increased the solubility of ȕ-sitosterol and improved the biotransformation efficiency of the substrate.