title: Ceramide synthases: reexamining longevity.
abstract: The ceramide synthase (CerS) enzymes catalyze the formation of (dihydro) ceramide, and thereby provide critical complexity to all sphingolipids (SLs) with respect to their acyl chain length. This review summarizes the progress in the field of CerS from the time of their discovery more than a decade ago as Longevity assurance (Lass) genes in yeast, until the recent development of CerS-deficient mouse models. Human hereditary CerS disorders are yet to be discovered. However, the recent findings in CerS mutant animals highlight the important physiological role of these enzymes. The fundamental findings with respect to CerS structure, function, localization, and regulation are discussed, as well as CerS roles in maintaining longevity in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 158-710, South Korea.
authors.forename: Joo-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pewzner-Jung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C108138:dihydroceramide desaturase