In Vivo Conversion of Cholesterol to Steroid Hormones in the Spiny Lobster, Panulirus japonica

The present study deals with the in vivo conversion of cholesterol-14C to steroid hormones in the spiny lobster, Panulirus japonica. Two days after injection of cholesterol-14C to the spiny lobster, the separation of bioconversion products was carried out about the hepatopancreas, ovaries, and blood. As the bioconversion products, the radioactive progesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, and-rostenedione, and testosterone were identified from the hepatopancreas, ovaries, and blood. Moreover, from the hepatopancreas, deoxycorticosterone and corticosterone were detected. From these results, it is suggested that the spiny lobster, Panulirus japonica, may possess the enzyme systems catalyzing the conversion of cholesterol to steroid hormones.