Microbial process for producing cholanic acid derivatives

Abstract

A microbial process for producing a cholanic acid derivative of the formula: ##STR1## wherein X is ##STR2## or .dbd.O; and R is hydrogen, an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal, which comprises cultivating a microbe which is capable of growing in a medium containing cholic acid or a salt thereof as a substrate to produce the cholanic acid derivative, selected from the genera Arthrobacter, Brevibacterium and Corynebacterium, in a culture medium containing the substrate and collecting the resulting derivative.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.