ERG25 — Neurospora crassa

Summary

NCU06402, designated ERG25 in Neurospora crassa, encodes a C-4 methylsterol oxidase. It is also annotated with sphingolipid delta-4 desaturase activity, sphingolipid C4-monooxygenase activity, iron binding, and redox activity. This protein is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and is associated with MIPC metabolism, sterol homeostasis, lipogenesis, sterol anabolism, sphingolipid anabolism, ergosterol anabolism, and homeostasis. The gene is linked to numerous phenotypes: absent protein activity and accumulation, decreased necrotic cell death, delayed cell cycle progression, decreased protein/peptide distribution, decreased utilization of iron source, absent chemical compound accumulation, petite-negative, arrested vegetative growth, petite, decreased invasive growth, increased rate of vegetative growth, normal vegetative growth, decreased respiratory metabolism, decreased survival rate in stationary phase, increased apoptosis, absent utilization of carbon source, increased rate of respiratory growth, abnormal vegetative growth, increased telomere length, abnormal cell shape, decreased utilization of carbon source, decreased anaerobic growth, decreased sporulation, decreased resistance to enzymatic treatment, abnormal mitochondrial morphology, decreased sporulation efficiency, increased protein activity, decreased transposable element transposition, and abnormal chromosome/plasmid maintenance. Studies of related genes in other species link the ERG25 family to ergosterol biosynthesis and heme metabolism.