I'm reading that it is possible for prokaryotes to have cholesterol, but I have yet to find anything that discusses which species are able to have it. Here is something I have read from a website:

 

Prokaryotes lack cholesterol entirely, apart from a few species that acquire it from eukaryotic hosts.

 

- site: http://lipidlibrary.aocs.org/Lipids/cholest/index.htm

 

So, which species and conditions would those be?

Anyone know?

I suspect Gram negative ones, as cholesterol seems to have a function in strengthening cell membranes which the critters without much of a cell wall would need more.

 

Or maybe it means prokaryotes can simply end up with some, rather like a contaminant from their eukaryote hosts?

Edited January 31, 201015 yr by Mr Skeptic

Nope, bacteria degrade cholesterol, they do not use it as eukaryotic cells do. Gram-negatives have good enough membrane integrity, the outer cell membrane contributes much to it. You should check bacteria out that live in close association with said eukaryotes. Wild guess: Nocardia.