The present invention provides a hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase gene, an acyl-coenzyme A thiolase gene, genetically engineered strains and a use thereof. The hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase gene encodes a protein (i) or (ii) as follows: (i) having an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO 2; (ii) derived by substituting, deleting or inserting one or more amino acids in the amino acid sequence defined by (i) and having the same function as that of the protein of (i). The present invention constructs genetically engineered Mycobacterium strains lacking of a hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase gene or an acyl-coenzyme A thiolase gene, which are used in the preparation of steroidal compounds, such as 1,4-BNA, 4-BNA, 9-OH-BNA, etc . . . Further, the invention improves the production efficiency and product quality of steroidal drug, improves the utilization of drug precursors, reduces the production costs, and provides the advantages of mild reaction conditions, environmentally friendly, and high economic and social benefits.

It is intended to provide a novel terpenoid derivative that exhibits anti-inflammatory action and a cytoprotective action by activating the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway. The present invention provides terpenoid derivative A represented by the following formula (I):

##STR00001##

It is intended to provide a novel terpenoid derivative that exhibits anti-inflammatory action and a cytoprotective action by activating the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway. The present invention provides terpenoid derivative A represented by the following formula (I):

##STR00001##

The present disclosure relates to fusion proteins including an iron-sulfur protein (e.g., cholesterol 7-desaturase (C7D)) and a ferredoxin reductase (e.g., KshB) that can efficiently convert cholesterol to 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) in vivo. Also disclosed herein are engineered microbes (e.g., E. coli) expressing the fusion proteins and methods of use thereof.

The invention relates to novel 7-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase mutants, to the sequences which encode these enzyme mutants, to processes for the preparation of the enzyme mutants and to their use in enzymatic reactions of cholic acid compounds, in particular in the preparation of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCS). The invention also relates to novel processes for the synthesis of UDCS using the enzyme mutants; and to the preparation of UDCS using recombinant, multiply-modified microorganisms.

The invention relates to novel 7-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase mutants, to the sequences which encode these enzyme mutants, to processes for the preparation of the enzyme mutants and to their use in enzymatic reactions of cholic acid compounds, in particular in the preparation of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCS). The invention also relates to novel processes for the synthesis of UDCS using the enzyme mutants; and to the preparation of UDCS using recombinant, multiply-modified microorganisms.

In various aspects and embodiments, the invention provides a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a 7-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (7-HSDH) mutant that catalyzes at least the stereospecific enzymatic reduction of a 7-ketosteroid to the corresponding 7-hydroxysteroid, wherein the mutant has, compared to the wildtype 7-HSDH of SEQ ID NO:2, a decreased substrate inhibition and/or an altered cofactor usage, and the mutant has, in comparison with the wildtype 7-HSDH of SEQ ID NO:2, 1 to 15 amino acid additions, substitutions, deletions and/or inversions in the sequence motif VMVGRRE corresponding to positions 36 to 42 of SEQ ID NO:2.

In various aspects and embodiments, the invention provides a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a 7-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (7-HSDH) mutant that catalyzes at least the stereospecific enzymatic reduction of a 7-ketosteroid to the corresponding 7-hydroxysteroid, wherein the mutant has, compared to the wildtype 7-HSDH of SEQ ID NO:2, a decreased substrate inhibition and/or an altered cofactor usage, and the mutant has, in comparison with the wildtype 7-HSDH of SEQ ID NO:2, 1 to 15 amino acid additions, substitutions, deletions and/or inversions in the sequence motif VMVGRRE corresponding to positions 36 to 42 of SEQ ID NO:2.

Improved enantioselective enzymatic processes for preparing ursodeoxycholic acid with high pharmaceutical purity are provided. Also provided are improved enantioselective enzymatic processes for preparing ursodeoxycholic acid with high yield and high pharmaceutical and enantiomeric purity.

Improved enantioselective enzymatic processes for preparing ursodeoxycholic acid with high pharmaceutical purity are provided. Also provided are improved enantioselective enzymatic processes for preparing ursodeoxycholic acid with high yield and high pharmaceutical and enantiomeric purity.