5-Dehydroepisterol
Encyclopedia
5-Dehydroepisterol is a sterol
and an intermediate
in steroid biosynthesis, particularly synthesis of brassinosteroid
s. It is formed from episterol
through action of the enzyme
lathosterol oxidase
, and is then converted into 24-methylenecholesterol by 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase
.
Episterol and 5-dehydroepisterol are found in Leishmania
.
Sterol
Sterols, also known as steroid alcohols, are a subgroup of the steroids and an important class of organic molecules. They occur naturally in plants, animals, and fungi, with the most familiar type of animal sterol being cholesterol...
and an intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate means "occurring between two extremes, or in the middle of a range". It comes from the Latin word 'intermedia' which literally means 'among the middle' and may refer to:...
in steroid biosynthesis, particularly synthesis of brassinosteroid
Brassinosteroid
Brassinosteroids are a class of polyhydroxysteroids that have been recognized as a sixth class ofplant hormones. These were first explored nearly forty years ago when Mitchell et al. reported promotion in stem elongation and cell division by the treatment of organic extracts of rapeseed pollen...
s. It is formed from episterol
Episterol
Episterol is a sterol involved in the biosynthesis of steroids. Episterol is converted from 24-methylenelophenol. Episterol is converted to 5-dehydroepisterol by the enzyme lathosterol oxidase. Episterol is also known to be a precursor to ergosterol....
through action of the enzyme
Enzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...
lathosterol oxidase
Lathosterol oxidase
In enzymology, a lathosterol oxidase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reactionThe 5 substrates of this enzyme are 5alpha-cholest-7-en-3beta-ol, NADH, NADPH, H+, and O2, whereas its 4 products are cholesta-5,7-dien-3beta-ol, NAD+, NADP+, and H2O....
, and is then converted into 24-methylenecholesterol by 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase
7-dehydrocholesterol reductase
7-dehydrocholesterol reductase, also known as DHCR7, is a protein in humans which is encoded by the DHCR7 gene.-Function:The protein encoded by this gene is an enzyme catalyzing the production of cholesterol from 7-Dehydrocholesterol using NADPH....
.
Episterol and 5-dehydroepisterol are found in Leishmania
Leishmania
Leishmania is a genus of Trypanosomatid protozoa, and is the parasite responsible for the disease leishmaniasis. It is spread through sandflies of the genus Phlebotomus in the Old World, and of the genus Lutzomyia in the New World. Their primary hosts are vertebrates; Leishmania commonly infects...
.