In vitro binding of sterols by extracts from Mucor rouxii cells grown under different environmental conditions

Aqueous cell wall and cytoplasm extracts from Mucor rouxii cells grown under acrobic and anaerobic (oxygen-limiting) conditions were obtained. Both of the extracts from the anaerobic and aerobic cells solubilized lanosterol and ergosterol but not to the same extent; ergosterol was complexed about 2-3 times greater than the same concentration of lanosterol. It was also apparent that the relative bindingcapacities of the cell extracts were dependent on the cell growth environment. Two additional fractions were obtained from each extract by (a) methanol precipitation and (b) refluxing in 2% aqueous potassium hydroxide solution followed by methanol precipitation. The binding activities of these precipitates and the corresponding precipitates from yeast extract were compared and the results indicated a range of binding activites which depended on both the extract and the sterol. The data suggested that the in vitro sterol binding of M. rouxii extracts was not due to one particular macromolecule but that a number of compounds were involved in this complexation process.