Journal of Lipid Research, Vol 26, 344-350, Copyright © 1985 by Lipid Research, Inc.
Bile acid induction of 7 alpha- and 7 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases in Clostridium limosum
JD Sutherland and CN Williams
When grown in the presence of bile acids, two strains of Clostridium
limosum were found to contain significant amounts of NADP-dependent 7
alpha/7 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and NAD-dependent 7 alpha-
hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase which were active against conjugated and
unconjugated bile acids. No measurable activity could be found when
deoxycholic acid (3 alpha, 12 alpha-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholan-24-oic acid)
was used as substrate. No 7 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity and
only a trace of 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity could be
demonstrated when bile acid was deleted from the growth medium. If bile
acid was added after the time of inoculation, the amounts of 7 alpha/7
beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase were greatly reduced. Enzyme enhancement
was blocked by addition of rifampicin. The 7 alpha/7 beta-hydroxysteroid
dehydrogenase components had pH optima of approximately 10.5. Both the 7
alpha/7 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities were heat-labile, with
the 7 beta-component being the more stable of the two. When ranked
according to the level of enzymes induced, the order in increasing bile
acid induction power on an equimolar scale (0.4 mM) was: 7-ketodeoxycholic
acid, cholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, and deoxycholic acid. Both
7-ketolithocholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid were ineffective as enzyme
inducers. Optimal induction was achieved with high concentrations of cholic
acid (5 mM) and a harvest time of 24 hr. Addition of ursodeoxycholic acid
to medium containing optimal concentrations of deoxycholic acid suppressed
enzyme induction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)