Abstract
STEROLS are important constituents of the non-saponifiable lipids in Ascaris lumbricoides, the human intestinal parasite (roundworm). Ascaris suum, a similar species of worms present in the pig intestine, is found to be incapable of synthesizing sterols and is completely dependent upon exogenous sterols1. The work reported here shows that in Ascaris lumbricoides (human), mevalonate-2-14C, which is a well-known precursor for isoprenoid compounds, is incorporated into a non-saponifiable lipid component, which has the characteristics of a polyprenol.
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RAJ, R., RANGANATHAN, S. Presence and Biosynthesis of a Polyprenol-type Compound in Ascaris lumbricoides (Human). Nature New Biology 240, 247 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio240247a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio240247a0