S142: Fungal transformation of xenobiotics

The microbial transformation of xenobiotics has proved to be a useful tool in drug metabolism studies as an adjunct to organic synthesis methods.  Because of the stereo- and regio-selectivity of microbial enzyme catalyzed reactions, microbial transformation of drugs has been an effective means of preparing compounds generally difficult to produce via organic synthesis as pioneered by Rosazza and Smith in 1979.  Since then the importance of this biotechnology has been applied in the microbial transformation to various xenobiotics including aromatic hydrocarbons, alkaloids, antihistamines, antibiotics and antidepressants.  Because many of the biotransformation products are similar to those formed in mammalian enzyme systems, many laboratories have found this methodology applicable in the preparation of mammalian drug metabolites.

This presentation will describe the importance of zygomycete fungi Cunninghamella sp. to study biotransformations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and several other drugs.  Filamentous fungi have shown the ability to metabolize these xenobiotics in a manner similar to that in mammals and are, therefore, potential models for mammalian drug metabolic pathways.