Functional interactions between sphingolipids and sterols in biological membranes regulating cell physiology.

ABSTRACT: Sterols and sphingolipids are limited to eukaryotic cells, and their interaction has been proposed to favor formation of lipid microdomains. Although there is abundant biophysical evidence demonstrating their interaction in simple systems, convincing evidence is lacking to show that they function together in cells. Using lipid analysis by mass spectrometry and a genetic approach on mutants in sterol metabolism, we show that cells adjust their membrane composition in response to mutant sterol structures preferentially by changing their sphingolipid composition. Systematic combination of mutations in sterol biosynthesis with mutants in sphingolipid hydroxylation and head group turnover give a large number of synthetic and suppression phenotypes. Our unbiased approach provides compelling evid

SUBMITTER: Guan XL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2663937 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature