Phytosterol biosynthesis pathway in Mortierella alpina

Phytochemistry
W David Nes, Shawn D Nichols

Abstract

The Zygomycetes fungus Mortierella alpina was cultured to growth arrest to assess the phytosterol biosynthesis pathway in a less-advanced fungus. The mycelium was found to produce 13 sterols, but no ergosterol. The sterol fractions were purified to homogeneity by HPLC and their identifies determined by a combination of GC-MS and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The principal sterol of the mycelium was cholesta-5, 24-dienol (desmosterol) (83%), with lesser amounts of 24beta-methyl-cholesta-5,25(27)-dienol (codisterol) (2%), 24-methyldesmosterol (6%), 24(28)-methylene cholesterol (3%) and lanosterol (3%) and several other minor compounds (3%). The total sterol accounted for approximately 0.07% of the mycelial dry wt. Mycelium fed methionine-methyl-2H3 for 6 days, generated 3 2H-24-methyl(ene) sterols, [C28-2H2]24(28)-methylenecholesterol, [C28-2H3]24-methylcholesta-5,24-dienol and [C28-2H3]24beta-methyl-cholesta-5,25(27)-dienol. The formation of the 24-methyl sterols seems to be catalyzed by the direct methylation of a common Delta24-acceptor sterol thereby bypassing the intermediacy of an isomerization step for rearrangement of the Delta24(28)-bond to Delta25(25)-position as operates in Ascomycetes fungi and all plants.

Citations

Jun 6, 2009·Microbial Ecology·Christian PollEllen Kandeler
Apr 17, 2007·Annals of Surgery·Marc ImmenrothHans Troidl
Jan 16, 2007·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Shuo ZhangSakayu Shimizu
Apr 2, 2013·Gene·Wanwipa VongsangnakKobkul Laoteng
Aug 6, 2015·Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry·Lorena ClaumarchirantMaría Jesús Lagarda

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