title: Further characterization of a Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant defective in lanosterol demethylation.
abstract: Sensitive in vitro lanosterol 14 alpha- and 4 alpha-methylsterol oxidase assays, particularly suitable for cell extracts of tissue culture cells, were developed and validated. Using these assays, we showed that the biochemical lesion of mutant 215, a cholesterol-requiring Chinese hamster ovary cell auxotroph isolated and partially characterized previously [Chang, T. Y., Telakowski, C., Vanden Heuvel, W., Alberts, A. W., & Vagelos, P. R. (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 832-836], was localized at the 4 alpha-methylsterol oxidase enzyme system. The defect in 4 alpha-methylsterol oxidase activity in mutant 215 cells could be demonstrated by using either 4,4-dimethylcholestanol or 4 alpha-methylcholestanol as the substrate, suggesting that the enzyme systems responsible for 4 alpha-methyl- and 4,4-dimethylsterols may share a common component. However, demethylation of the C-14 alpha methyl group was found to occur at identical rates in wild-type and mutant 215, suggesting that C-14 alpha demethylation and C-4 alpha demethylation may occur by separate enzyme systems. A [3H]dihydrolanosterol incorporation experiment in intact cells of wild-type and mutant 215 supported these conclusions. Despite these results, a [14C]acetate pulse experiment indicated that [14C]lanosterol, instead of its 14C-labeled 14-demethylated sterol derivative(s), accumulated in intact cells of mutant 215. Possible implications of these findings for the mechanisms of lanosterol demethylation reactions are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002460:Cell Line; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D005260:Female; D007700:Kinetics; D007810:Lanosterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D010053:Ovary; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D058886:Sterol 14-Demethylase; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D014316:Tritium; D007810:Lanosterol; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D058886:Sterol 14-Demethylase; C027532:methylsterol monooxygenase