Sterols of the phylum Zygomycota: Phylogenetic implications

The sterol composition of 42 fungal species representing six of the eight orders of the Zygomycota was determined using gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to assess whether the distribution of major sterols in this phylum has taxonomic or phylogenetic relevance. Ergosterol, 22-dihydroergosterol, 24-methyl cholesterol, cholesterol, and desmosterol were detected as the major sterols among the species studied. Ergosterol was the major sterol of the Dimargaritales, Zoopagales, and 13 of the 14 Mucorales families included in this study. Desmosterol appeared to be the characteristic sterol of the Mortierellaceae (Mucorales). 24-Methyl cholesterol was the major sterol of the Entomophthorales genera Entomophthora, Conidiobolus and Basidiobolus, but cholesterol was the sole sterol detected in Delacroixia coronatus. The Kickxellales species analyzed in this study were characterized by 22-dihydroergosterol as the major sterol. These results suggest that certain orders of the Zygomycota may be distinguished on the basis of major sterol. Also, if sterol structure has phylogenetic implications, then orders might be arranged in the order Kickxellales (C₂₈Δ^5,7) → Dimargaritales, Zoopagales and Mucorales (C₂₈Δ^5,7,22) on the basis of evolution of the predominant and presumably most competent sterol, ergosterol. Although the Entomophthorales would be expected to be more primitive than the above orders based on the predominance of C₂₈Δ^5,, it is not apparent from these data that members of the Zygomycota with ergosterol or its precursors as major sterols evolved from this taxon or the Chytridiomycota.