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Microbial systems for study of the biotransformations of drugs
Author(s) -
Smith Robert V.,
Rosazza John P.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.260170603
Subject(s) - xenobiotic , biotransformation , metabolic pathway , biology , microbial metabolism , drug metabolism , biochemistry , computational biology , biochemical engineering , metabolism , bacteria , enzyme , genetics , engineering
Abstract The metabolic fate of drugs and other xenobiotics in mammalian organisms represents an area of intense contemporary interest. Traditionally, it is a difficult area of research becausethe biological systems which are used to study biotransformations are capable of yielding only minute quantities of metabolites. Recent developments in comparative biochemistry have made itpossible to link diverse metabolic systems through similarities in the pathways by which they alter foreign organic compounds. The potential thus exists for utilizing microbial metabolic systems to study and possibly predict the metabolic fate of a drug or other foreign compound in mammals. The ease with which microbial systems may be used to obtain large amounts of metabolites is an obvious Advantage. We havhe attemped to review the ways in which mammalian and microbialorganisms metabolize a variety of organic compounds. Attention has been focused on the similarities and differences in the mechanisms by which these living systems metabolize xenobiotics. Particular emphasis has been given to four types of reactions which are important in drug biotransformations: aromatic hydroxylationl; N ‐ and O ‐dealkylations; and sulfur oxygenations.