Microbial Biotransformation

By:
Vasundhara S. Kakade
Assistant Professor
NES Navsahyadri Institute of Pharmacy, Nasarapur Pune.

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 Introduction
• Biotransformation ( Bio+ transformation)
• Living process which carry changes in organic compound.

• biological processes in which microorganisms convert organic

compounds into structurally modified reusable products.

• In other word, biotransformation deals with microbial

(enzymatic) conversion of a substrate into a product with limited
number by enzymatic reactions.

• This is in contrast to fermentation which involve a large number

reactions e.g. steroids produced by chemical synthesis or by
microbial biotransformation. This are physically active
compounds which includes testosterone, progesterone etc. act as
bio regulator in body.
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 Advantages
This process is carried out by enzyme secreted by m.o.
• React specifically
• No side reactions
• Specific micro-organism used to carry out specific type of
transformation.
• It can be carried out mild condition like neutral pH , RT &
at normal pressure.
• Reduce multistep chemical reaction.
• Occurs in less labour, time, money, and release good yeild
• Less envt. pollution

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 Methods in Biotransformation
• Microbial cell play major role in biotransformation. Major
step is fermentation.
• It is carried out in following phases
Phase I: Growth Phase
Phase II :Transformation Phase

Phase I: Growth Phase

 Culture is grown in medium, provided with areation, agitation,
with optimum temperature for growth.
 Incubated for few days depend on type of micro-organism.

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• Phase II :Transformation Phase

 Transformation phase starts by addition of steroid at end of

growth phase. With incubation period, amount of steroid depends
on capacity of culture, toxicity & type of product .

 Enzymes secreted by micro-organism acts on steroids. And

transformation occurs depend on temp, pH, agitation, aeration
and incubation time.

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 General Process for biotransformation of steroids carried out in
stainless steel tank
After transformation
micro-organism
Prepare media to Add steroids to start separated from culture
carry out high process of media & extracted with
extraction & transformation solvent. (CHCl3, ethyl
purification of require 24-48 hrs for acetate etc .) by solvent
transform product incubation extraction &
precipitation method

Extract samples separated properly

And then new structure is identified
& analyzed by TLC, Paper
by IR, NMR, Mass spectroscopy
chromatography ,GC or HPLC

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 Types of Biotransformation reactions

• Many types of chemical reactions occur in

biotransformations.

•These include various reactions like oxidation, reduction,

hydrolysis, condensation, isomerization, formation of new C-C
bonds, synthesis of chiral compounds and reversal of
hydrolytic reactions.

•Among these, oxidation, isomerisation and hydrolysis

reactions are more commonly occur.

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 Various applications of microbial
biotransformation
• Steroids constitute a natural product class of compounds
that is widely distributed throughout nature present in bile
salts, adrenal-cortical and sex-hormones, insect molting
hormones, sapogenins, alkaloids and in some antibiotics.

• Testosterone was produced from dehydroepiandrosterone

by using Corynebacterium sp.

• Subsequently cholesterol was produced from 4-

dehydroeticholanic and 7-hydroxycholestrol using Nocardia
spp..

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All steroids have the same basic structure, a
cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene which consists of four fused rings
• Cortisone and prednisolone is very useful because of its anti-
inflammatory action against rheumatoid arthritis and skin diseases.
By changing the structure, specifically by incorporating a 1,2 double
bond in ring A of the cortisone molecule to produce prednisone have
anti-inflammatory with the help of an enzyme named as Arthrobacter
simplex.

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• Transformation of non-steroid compounds

Dihydroxyacetone from glycerol

• It is used in lotions and cosmetics. Various acetic acid
bacteria such as Gluconobacter melanogenus used in this
microbial transformation.

Prostaglandins
• unsaturated fatty C-20 fatty acids hormones.
• used as contraceptive, alleviation of pain of child-birth,
treatment of congenital heart failure and also for the
treatment of digestive diseases.
• These prostaglandins can be produced from unsaturated
fatty acids by microbial transformation with pathogenic fungi
such as Cryptococcus neoformans.
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• Transformation of antibiotics
Develop modified and improved antibiotics with reduced toxicity,
broad antimicrobial spectrum, enhanced oral adsorption, allergic
effects

• Transformation of pollutants
biotransformation of various pollutants carried out by using
microorganisms to clean up the polluted environment.

• Petroleum biotransformation
Petroleum is important for industry and daily life. Now a day
hydrocarbon contamination resulting from the activities related to the
petrochemical industry. Leaks and accidental release are the main
source of soil and water pollution. Petroleum oil is carcinogenic and
neurotoxic for all living forms.So various mechanical and chemical
methods have been employed for soil and water remediation. But,
bioremediation using microbes is the most efficient method to
detoxify the pollutants because it leads to complete mineralization
and is cost effective.
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 References
• BY C.R. Kokare Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
Nirali Prakashan.
• By U satayanarayana & Chakrapani
Pharmaceutical Biotechnology International
Edition.

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 QUESTIONS

1. Define microbial biotransformation with its process . 5 M

2. Give application of microbial biotransformation 5M

• THANK YOU

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