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J Bacteriol. 1962 September; 84(3): 534-538
Copyright © 1962, The Williams & Wilkins Company. All Rights Reserved.

FATE OF ERGOSTEROL AND CHOLESTANOL IN PLEUROPNEUMONIA-LIKE ORGANISMS

Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, State University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota

ABSTRACT

SMITH, PAUL F. (University of South Dakota, Vermillion). Fate of ergosterol and cholestanol in pleuropneumonia-like organisms. J. Bacteriol. 84:534–538. 1962.—Cholesterol, an essential growth requirement of certain pleuropneumonia-like organisms, can be replaced by ergosterol or cholestanol. Since cholesterol is incorporated unchanged, determination was made of the fate of substituted sterols. Ergosterol-grown cells contained predominately ergosterol, as evidenced by physical and chemical characteristics. The other components were decomposition products arising from radiation and experimental treatments. Cholestanol-grown cells contained predominately cholestanol. Radiation- or aeration-induced decomposition products of cholestanol were formed to a greater extent in inoculated than in uninoculated culture media. Sterols capable of substituting for cholesterol are incorporated without significant biologically induced alterations and carry out the function of cholesterol.