A nonmotile, nonspore-forming, Gram-negative, aerobic, small rod-shaped bacterium, isolated from soil, was identified as Chryseobacterium gleum on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. It was observed to grow luxuriously at pH 9 and tolerate highly alkaline environment up to pH 12. Orange red color was a peculiar character of these cells which on purification obtained 60-80 mg/l and found to be sphingosine type of sulfonolipid "sulfobacin A" on the basis of infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectral data. Inhibition of sulfobacin A synthesis by incorporation of L: -cycloserine in culture growth medium suggested presence of serine palmitoyl transferase which is one of the important enzymes involved in its biosynthesis. Sulfobacin A from C. gleum LMG P-22264 exhibited cytotoxicity against four cell lines tested. Maximum activity against human mammary adenocarcinoma cells was indicative of its potential as an anticancer agent.

Cholesterol oxidase activity was studied during biotransformation of cholesterol to androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (ADD) by Chryseobacterium gleum. Spent LB media, containing cholesterol (3 mM approximately = 1 g l(-1)) where the bacterium was grown for 24 h, at 30 degrees C with constant shaking at 120 rpm, had the highest enzyme activity (167 U mg(-1)). The growing cells produced 0.076 g ADD from 1 g cholesterol l(-1).

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