Posted 2023-03-18
Steroid drugs have very powerful effects on the human body. These include bile acids, vitamin D3, sex hormones, hormones that control the metabolism of minerals and water, as well as chemicals that cause inflammatory reactions and have signaling properties. The sex hormone testosterone, the signaling hormone prasterone, and the precursor to other steroids androstadiendione can all now be obtained from plant material thanks to advances in biology. These molecules can be used to create a variety of different beneficial steroids with minimal alterations.
Most physiologically active compounds contain an axis or flat ring that is in close proximity to significant side groups. The position and spatial orientation of the four carbon rings and substituents that make up steroids dictate the particular biological effect of each substance. In other words, a substance's ability to attach to a particular receptor protein and set off a chain of biological processes depends on the position and orientation of these groups in relation to the rigid skeleton. The ability to alter molecules in a specific way, turning specific fragments in the proper directions, is the major benefit of using living cells in drug manufacturing.In most cases, a complexly separable combination of products—some of which won't have the intended properties—is produced under chemical synthesis circumstances.
A fungus strain of the genus Drechslera has the capacity to change steroid compounds such as androstadiendione, testosterone, and prasterone, according to microbiologists from the Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research (Pushchino). Two fungal enzymes in particular caught the attention of researchers: the first restores the ketone (=O) group in a precisely defined position (C17), and the second can attach the hydroxyl (-OH) group in a different, similarly fixed position (C7), but one that is on the opposite side of the backbone ring. The second enzyme's byproducts are known as C7- and C7-hydroxysteroids.According to scientists, the original steroid substrate's structure determines whether the ratio of the final products has a hydroxyl group in the - or -position.
Steroids & biology
It's not what you think, though. We'll speak about mushrooms that shouldn't be eaten by humans and the bioactive molecules that could be used to make steroids.Steroid drugs have very powerful effects on the human body. These include bile acids, vitamin D3, sex hormones, hormones that control the metabolism of minerals and water, as well as chemicals that cause inflammatory reactions and have signaling properties. The sex hormone testosterone, the signaling hormone prasterone, and the precursor to other steroids androstadiendione can all now be obtained from plant material thanks to advances in biology. These molecules can be used to create a variety of different beneficial steroids with minimal alterations.
Jumping in to the science
Most physiologically active compounds contain an axis or flat ring that is in close proximity to significant side groups. The position and spatial orientation of the four carbon rings and substituents that make up steroids dictate the particular biological effect of each substance. In other words, a substance's ability to attach to a particular receptor protein and set off a chain of biological processes depends on the position and orientation of these groups in relation to the rigid skeleton. The ability to alter molecules in a specific way, turning specific fragments in the proper directions, is the major benefit of using living cells in drug manufacturing.In most cases, a complexly separable combination of products—some of which won't have the intended properties—is produced under chemical synthesis circumstances.A fungus strain of the genus Drechslera has the capacity to change steroid compounds such as androstadiendione, testosterone, and prasterone, according to microbiologists from the Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research (Pushchino). Two fungal enzymes in particular caught the attention of researchers: the first restores the ketone (=O) group in a precisely defined position (C17), and the second can attach the hydroxyl (-OH) group in a different, similarly fixed position (C7), but one that is on the opposite side of the backbone ring. The second enzyme's byproducts are known as C7- and C7-hydroxysteroids.According to scientists, the original steroid substrate's structure determines whether the ratio of the final products has a hydroxyl group in the - or -position.