The rate-limiting step of steroid biosynthesis is the enzymatic conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone by cytochrome P-450,(side chain cleavage) located in the inner mitochondrial membrane of all steroid producing cells. We report here the synthesis and application of a fluorogenic probe which is a cholene-based steroid with a fluorogenic moiety (resorufin) strategically located at the site of side chain cleavage. Synthesis of the probe required four ...
