Isolation of methyl 3-hydroxy-9-oxo-9,10-seco-23,24-dinor-1,3,5(10)-cholatrienoate from a sterol bioconversion

A mutant (UC9778) of M. fortuitum has been isolated which degrades cholesterol and plant sterols to mixtures of Ring A-phenolic compounds. The title compound was isolated by repeated chromatography, and its structure determined by spectroscopic methods.