Degradations of 4‐cholesten‐3‐one and 1,4‐androstadiene‐3,17‐dione by cholesterol‐degrading bacteria

Degradations of 4-cholesten-3-one and 1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione, which are intermediates of microbial conversion of cholesterol, by cholesterol-degrading bacteria (12 strains of the genus Rhodococcus isolated from food of animal origin and 12 culture collection strains) were examined. All strains had the ability to degrade 4-cholesten-3-one without necessarily being able to degrade cholesterol. On the other hand, the bacteria were divided into three groups with little or no (0-10%), intermediate (10-70%) and high (70-100%) degradation abilities for 1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione.