Cholesterol decomposing microorganisms isolated from some human skin microflora

An agarized medium with a uniform distribution of cholesterol was prepared and the ability of some human skin microflora to grow on it was tested. One of them was considered as the most potent according to its ability to decompose cholesterol as the sole source of carbon, and hence was chosen for further study. It was identified as Aspergillus fumigatus, 69. The influence of temperature, incubation period, shaking and phosphate concentration on cholesterol decomposition were investigated. Optimum temperature and pH for cholesterol decomposition were 37C and 6.6 after 12 days at 120 rpm in a medium containing 0.2 M phosphate buffer and 0.15% [w/v] cholesterol