Steroidal triterpenes of cholesterol synthesis.

ABSTRACT: Cholesterol synthesis is a ubiquitous and housekeeping metabolic pathway that leads to cholesterol, an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes, required for proper membrane permeability and fluidity. The last part of the pathway involves steroidal triterpenes with cholestane ring structures. It starts by conversion of acyclic squalene into lanosterol, the first sterol intermediate of the pathway, followed by production of 20 structurally very similar steroidal triterpene molecules in over 11 complex enzyme reactions. Due to the structural similarities of sterol intermediates and the broad substrate specificity of the enzymes involved (especially sterol-Δ24-reductase; DHCR24) the exact sequence of the reactions between lanosterol and cholesterol remains undefined. This ar

SUBMITTER: Acimovic J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6269928 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature