Ergosterol is a component of fungal cell membranes, serving the same function that cholesterol serves in animal cells. The presence of ergosterol in fungal cell membranes coupled with its absence in animal cell membranes makes it a useful target for antifungal drugs. Ergosterol is also present in the cell membranes of some protists, such as trypanosomes. This is the basis for the use of some antifungals against West African sleeping sickness.
Amphotericin B is an antifungal drug that targets ergosterol. It binds to ergosterol and creates a polar pore in fungal membranes. This causes ions (predominantly K+ and H+) and other molecules to leak out, which will kill the cell. Amphotericin B has been replaced by safer agents in most circumstances but is still used, despite its side effects, for life-threatening fungal infections. Miconazole and Clotrimazole also inhibit synthesis of ergosterol.
Ergosterol is also used as an indicator of fungal biomass in soil. Though ergosterol does degrade over time, if kept below freezing in a dark environment, this degradation can be slowed or even stopped completely.
References
External links
Safety (MSDS) data for ergosterol Oxford University (2005)
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Last updated on Wednesday July 02, 2008 at 09:42:26 PDT (GMT -0700)
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