Steroid derivatives

It was found in a study of the hydroxylating capacity of one of theFungi imperfecti, the genusBeauveria, some of the species of which are able to introduce the oxygen function into position 11α of various steroid compounds, that the enzyme activity ofBeauveria globulifera gives rise both to the corresponding 11α-hydroxy-derivative and to the 5β-saturated 11α-hydroxy-compound or a 5β-saturated 7β,11α-dihydroxy-compound. The isolation and the identification of the products of biotransformation of some steroids of the pregnane and androstane series byBeauveria globulifera is described.