Inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis is not accompanied by a change in fatty acid composition in Saccharomyces cerevisiae treated with the antifungal agent 6-amino-2-n-pentylthiobenzothiazole.

Abstract

The antifungal agent 6-amino-2-n-pentylthiobenzothiazole at a concentration of 40 microM lowered the specific growth rate of exponentially growing cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by 36%. Treatment with 6-amino-2-n-pentylthiobenzothiazole inhibited the biosynthesis of ergosterol and caused an accumulation of the methylated sterol precursors ergosta-5,7-dienol and squalene, but had no significant effect on the composition and the rate of biosynthesis of fatty acids. The results indicate that neither the inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis, nor the slowing-down of culture growth by this antifungal agent, led to a compensatory alteration in the pattern of fatty-acyl chains in membrane lipids. This finding contradicts the accepted wisdom for the action of a number of antifungal agents.