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Microbial Eukaryotes that Lack Sterols
- Source :
- Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. 64:897-900
- Publication Year :
- 2017
- Publisher :
- Wiley, 2017.
-
Abstract
- It is widely held that sterols are key cyclic triterpenoid lipids in eukaryotic cell membranes and are synthesized through oxygen-dependent multi-enzyme pathways. However, there are known exceptions―ciliated protozoans, such as Tetrahymena, along with diverse low-oxygen adapted eukaryotes produce, instead of sterols, the cyclic triterpenoid lipid tetrahymanol that does not require molecular oxygen for its biosynthesis. Here, we report that a number of anaerobic microbial eukaryotes (protists) utilize neither sterols nor tetrahymanol in their membranes. The lack of detectable sterol-like compounds in their membranes may provide an opportunity to reconsider the physiological function of sterols and sterol-like lipids in eukaryotes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
- Subjects :
- 0301 basic medicine
Physiological function
biology
Cell Membrane
Tetrahymena
Eukaryota
biology.organism_classification
Microbiology
Triterpenes
Sterols
03 medical and health sciences
chemistry.chemical_compound
030104 developmental biology
Triterpenoid
Membrane
Biochemistry
Biosynthesis
chemistry
Phylogenetics
polycyclic compounds
lipids (amino acids, peptides, and proteins)
Molecular oxygen
Eukaryotic cell
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 10665234
- Volume :
- 64
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....7bd4b42173450c9980f7a7b3d4a820cb