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Metabolism of sterols of varying ring unsaturation and methylation by Caenorhabditis elegans
Author(s) -
Lozano Ruben,
Salt Thomas A.,
Chitwood David J.,
Lusby William R.,
Thompson Malcolm J.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02534858
Subject(s) - cholestanol , lathosterol , caenorhabditis elegans , sterol , biochemistry , metabolism , biology , carotenoid , clinical chemistry , methylation , reductase , chemistry , cholesterol , enzyme , campesterol , gene
The metabolism of three dietary 4,4‐desmethylsterols and two 4α‐methylsterols was investigated in the free‐living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans . Dietary cholestanol was converted mostly to lathosterol. Dietary lathosterol, 7‐dehydrocholesterol, 4α‐methylcholest‐7‐enol and 4α‐methylcholest‐8(14)‐enol each remained largely unchanged. An absolute requirement for a substantial quantity of 7‐dehydrocholesterol in C. elegans did not exist. C. elegans was unable to remove a 4α‐methyl group or introduce a double bond at C‐5 and also demonstrated the lack of a Δ 7 ‐reductase. Its nutritional sterol requirement was satisfied by cholestanol, lathosterol or 7‐dehydrocholesterol; growth was comparable to that obtained previously in media containing Δ 5 ‐sterols. However, the two 4α‐methylsterols appeared to be unsatisfactory sterol nutrients. The possible physiological importance of 4α‐methylsterols is discussed briefly.