Characterization of Caenorhabditis elegans sphingomyelin synthases through heterologous expression.

ABSTRACT: Sphingomyelin (SM) is a major component of mammalian cell membranes and is particularly abundant in the myelin sheath that surrounds nerve fibers. Its production is catalyzed by SM synthases, SMS1 and SMS2, which interconvert phosphatidylcholine and ceramide into diacylglycerol and SM, respectively, in the Golgi and at the plasma membrane. As the lipids participating in this reaction fulfill both structural and signaling functions, SMS enzymes have considerable potential to influence diverse important cellular processes. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an attractive model for studying both animal development and human disease. The organism contains five SMS homologues, but none of these have been characterized in any detail. Here, we carried out the first systematic analysis of SMS

SUBMITTER: Guzman G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12269588 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature