| Abstract: | Cunninghamella elegans oxidized benzoa]pyrene to several metabolic products. Compounds that were isolated and identified were: trans-9,10-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydrobenzoa]pyrene, trans-7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzoa]pyrene, benzoa]pyrene 1,6-quinone, benzoa]pyrene 3,6-quinone, 9-hydroxybenza]pyrene, and 3-hydroxybenzoa]pyrene. In addition, an unidentified dihydroxybenzoa]pyrene metabolite was also formed. Experiments with 14C]benzoa]pyrene showed that over a 96-h period, 18.4% of the hydrocarbon was converted to metabolic products. Most of the metabolites were sulfate conjugates as demonstrated by the formation of benzoa]pyrene quinones and phenols after treatment with aryl sulfatase. Glucuronide and sulfate conjugates were also detected as water-soluble metabolites. The results show that benzoa]pyrene is metabolized by a filamentous fungus in a manner that is remarkably similar to that observed in higher organisms. |
