Natural products account for 60% of the total market, making them a major
source of drug discovery. Some of these are sourced from the cultivation of
microorganisms. Microbial transformation is an example of the application of the
cultivation of microorganisms. It is a method of modifying the chemical structure of
compounds such as steroids by microorganisms. The diversity of the possible reaction
types in microbial transformation includes the process of oxidation, hydroxylation,
esterification, isomerization, reduction, acetylation, hydrogenation and glycosylation.
Therefore, screening of new microbial strains for specific bioconversions is essential
for bioprospecting. This chapter reviews a range of previous studies that have used
fungi for biotransformation.
Keywords: Drug Discovery, Ethynodiol Diacetate, Finasteride, Fungi, Microbial Transformation, Microorganisms, Medroxyprogesterone, Medrysone, Psychrotolerant Fungus, Steroids.
