ABSTRACT
The microbial transformation of steroid is long established as a method for the preparation of hydroxysteroids, particularly the corticosteroids, and other specific target molecules; it is also a valuable tool for the investigation of steroid metabolism. The use of microbial systems to modify a steroidal substrate has been extensively investigated and discussed in several classic books [1-3], reviews [4-8], and review series [9] and continues to be the focus of attention at many levels ranging from primary research to product development. This chapter will focus on recent developments in the microbial transformations of steroids. It is not intended as a comprehensive compilation of steroid biotransformations as this material is covered in the ongoing review series by Mahato and co-workers [9], but it will deal in detail with the more recent advances in both fundamental and applied aspects of steroid transformations by microorganisms.
