Sterol-side chain cleavage by fusants ofAlkaligenes foecalis andArthrobacter oxydans.

Protoplasts of a strain ofA. foecalis incapable of utilizing beta-sitosterol as carbon source for growth were fused with protoplasts ofA. oxydans - a strain capable of complete degradation of beta-sitosterol. Five fusants showing morphology and pattern of transformation of C-19 steroids identical toA. Foecalis were selected. Analysis of the fermentation broth containing beta-sitosterol showed that the fusants were capable of utilizing beta-sitosterol for growth but their pattern of metabolite formation from beta-sitosterol was different from that ofA. oxydans. The study revealed that the protoplast fusion technique could be used for intergeneric transfer of genetic determinants linked to partial cleavage of beta-sitosterol side chain toA. foecalis fromA. oxydans.