title: Yeast sphingolipids: metabolism and biology.
abstract: Sphingolipids have recently emerged as important bioactive molecules in addition to being critical structural components of cellular membranes. These molecules have been implicated in regulating cell growth, differentiation, angiogenesis, apoptosis, and senescene. To study sphingolipid mediated biology, it is necessary to investigate sphingolipid metabolism and its regulation. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has allowed such studies to take place as the sphingolipid metabolic and regulatory pathways appear conserved across species. Using yeast genetic approaches most enzymes of sphingolipid metabolism have been identified and cloned which has led to identification of their mammalian homologues. Many of the yeast enzymes are targets of fungal toxins thus underscoring the importance of this pathway in yeast cell regulation. This review focuses on the yeast sphingolipid metabolic pathway and its role in regulation of yeast biology. Implication of the insights gained from yeast to mammalian cell regulation are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA. obeidl@musc.edu
authors.forename: Lina M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Obeid
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Cungui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases; D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002518:Ceramides / Q000378:metabolism; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D016695:Glycosyltransferases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051102:Serine C-Palmitoyltransferase; D013107:Sphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C086192:CSG2 protein, S cerevisiae; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002518:Ceramides; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D013107:Sphingolipids; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; C109313:SUR2 protein, S cerevisiae; D000217:Acyltransferases; D000123:Acetyltransferases; C107118:ELO2 protein, S cerevisiae; D051102:Serine C-Palmitoyltransferase; D016695:Glycosyltransferases; C092031:SUR1 protein, S cerevisiae; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; C088714:phosphatidylinositol-ceramide phosphoinositol transferase; C113962:LCB4 protein, S cerevisiae; C113963:LCB5 protein, S cerevisiae; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor)