7-ketocholesterol catabolism by Rhodococcus jostii RHA1.

Oxysterols from steroid autooxidation have numerous harmful effects, but their biodegradation is poorly understood. Microarrays were used to study mineralization of the most common oxysterol, 7-ketocholesterol (7KC), by Rhodococcus jostii RHA1. Growth on 7KC versus growth on cholesterol resulted in 363 differentially expressed genes, including upregulation of two large gene clusters putatively encoding steroid catabolism. Despite this difference, 7KC degradation required key genes involved in cholesterol degradation, indicating a common catabolic route.