From: Eugene Leitl (Eugene.Leitl@lrz.uni-muenchen.de)
Date: Fri Nov 15 1996 - 15:59:47 MST
On Fri, 15 Nov 1996, Michael Butler wrote:
> >I beg to differ, only the biopolymer stuff. I doubt steroids will notice
> >much of it. Just remember the hopanes in microfossils.
>
> Umm, what's a "hopane"? Pointer, please?
Nothing _very_ interesting, I'm afraid... It's just the evolutionary
precursor to the steroid molecule (that pesky cholesterol is a steroid,
most hormones (testosterone, progesterone) are steroids, as well), only
hopane has a six-membered-ring, where steroid has a five-membered-ring.
Nothing spectacular, just a minor optimization.
Anyway, hopane has gone out of use, only in microfossils & other old
organic stuff can hopane traces be found. Afaik, no critter alive uses is
anymore.
ciao,
'gene
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