Tryptophan oxidative metabolism catalyzed by geobacillus stearothermophilus: a thermophile isolated from kuwait soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons.

Tryptophan metabolism has been extensively studied in humans as well as in soil. Its metabolism takes place mainly through kynurenine pathway yielding hydroxylated, deaminated and many other products of physiological significance. However, tryptophan metabolism has not been studied in an isolated thermophilic bacterium.

Transformation of chenodeoxycholic acid by thermophilic Geobacillus stearothermophilus.

We performed a series of experiments with Geobacillus stearothermophilus, a thermophile isolated from oil-contaminated soil in the Kuwaiti desert. The organism has a good potential for the transformation of a broad spectrum of organic molecules such as steroids, amino acids, and aromatic hydrocarbons. In the present study, we tested its potential for the transformation of a bile component, chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA).