Influence of cholesterol and ergo

sc mi gy, Feb e 1 Ergosterol is an evolutionary precursor of cholesterol and is the major sterol present in lower eukaryotes. Although detailed biophys-ical characterization of the effect of cholesterol on membranes is well documented, the effect of ergosterol on the organization and dynamics of membranes is still at a very early stage. We have monitored the effect of cholesterol and ergosterol on the dynamic properties maintain a laterally heterogeneous distribution of lipids long time scale of natural evolution for its ability to opti-terol, the major sterol component present in lower eukary-otes such as certain protozoa, yeast, and other fungi, and in insects such as Drosophila [6]. The chemical structure of ergosterol differs from that of cholesterol in having two additional double bonds (at positions C7 and C22) and a methyl group at C24 of the side chain. Both structura