The bacterial transformation of abietic acid

Abstract
An Alcaligenes species, which was isolated from soil, can utilize abietic acid as its sole carbon source. During growth, the bacterium transforms abietic acid into 5α-hydroxyabietic acid (I, R=OH), a product considered to be 7β-hydroxy-13-isopropyl-8ξ-podocarp-13-en-15-oic acid (II, R=H) and a compound, C20H28O3, which is believed to be an epoxy-γ-lactone.