title: Inhibition of sterol biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by N,N-diethylazasqualene and derivatives.
abstract: The ability of some azasqualene derivatives to inhibit yeast cell growth was compared with their inhibition activity on squalene-2,3-oxide cyclase (EC 5.4.99.7) both in living cells and in microsome preparations. Among the compounds tested, N,N-diethylazasqualene showed the best correlation between the activity on squalene-2,3-oxide cyclase and its inhibition of yeast growth. The N-oxide derivative, N,N-diethylazasqualene N-oxide, which was as active as the amine in microsomes, was much less active in living cells, probably because it could not easily penetrate the cell wall. Kinetic analysis of the inhibitory activity of compounds on squalene-2,3-oxide cyclase revealed a sharp difference between N,N-diethylazasqualene and its N-oxide; the former showed a non-competitive-type inhibition, whereas the latter behaved as a competitive inhibitor.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Chimica Farmaceutica Applicata, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Balliano
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Viola
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ceruti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cattel
mesh_terms: D001372:Aza Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019751:Intramolecular Transferases; D007535:Isomerases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D007700:Kinetics; D008861:Microsomes / Q000201:enzymology; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013185:Squalene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013261:Sterols / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D001372:Aza Compounds; D013261:Sterols; D013185:Squalene; C055095:N,N-diethylazasqualene; D007535:Isomerases; D019751:Intramolecular Transferases; C021924:lanosterol synthase