The mechanism of the action of prymnesium toxin on membranes

The mechanism of the lytic action of prymnesin, a toxin produced by the alga, Prymnesium parvum, was studied using liposomes as a model membrane system. Prymnesin showed severe damage to liposomes containing cholesterol but did not affect those without cholesterol. The requirement of cholesterol for the susceptibility to prymnesin was much more strict than the reported requirement for the susceptibility to polyene antibiotics. The net charge on the membranes was shown not to be important for the reaction.