Sterols of the mycobiont and phycobiont isolated from the litchen Xanthoria parietina

The mycobiont, Xanthoria parietina, and the phycobiont, Trebouxia decolorans, of the lichen X. parietina have been cultured separately and their sterols analysed. X. parietina contained ergosterol and lichesterol as the major constituents together with lower levels of three other C₂₈ sterols. Culture of the mycobiont in the presence of CD₃]-methionine resulted in the incorporation of two deuterium atoms into the C-24 methyl group of these sterols demonstrating that a 24-methylene intermediate was produced as occurs in other fungi. The phycobiont, T. decolorans contained predominantly poriferasterol with lower levels of clionasterol, ergost-5-en-3β-ol, brassicasterol and cholesterol. Two other Trebouxia spp. (213/3 and 219/2) contained similar sterol mixtures.