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. 1983 Jan;45(1):141–147. doi: 10.1128/aem.45.1.141-147.1983

Cooperative formation of omega-muricholic acid by intestinal microorganisms.

H Eyssen, G De Pauw, J Stragier, A Verhulst
PMCID: PMC242244  PMID: 6824314

Abstract

Three anaerobic bacteria, isolated from the ceca of rats and mice, converted, through a concerted mechanism, beta-muricholic acid, the predominant bile acid in germfree rats, into omega-muricholic acid. One isolate was a Eubacterium lentum strain; the second and third isolates were tentatively identified as atypical Fusobacterium sp. strains. The conversion of beta-muricholic acid into omega-muricholic acid proceeded in two steps: E. lentum oxidized the 6 beta-hydroxyl group of beta-muricholic acid to a 6-oxo group, which was reduced by either of the two other species to a 6 alpha-hydroxyl group, yielding omega-muricholic acid. This transformation occurred both in vitro and in gnotobiotic rats. Monoassociation of germfree rats with the E. lentum strain gave rise to an unidentified fecal bile acid, probably a derivative of beta-muricholic acid having a double bond in the side chain.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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