The Arabidopsis AtGCD3 protein is a glucosylceramidase that preferentially hydrolyzes long-acyl-chain glucosylceramides.

ABSTRACT: Cellular membranes contain many lipids, some of which, such as sphingolipids, have important structural and signaling functions. The common sphingolipid glucosylceramide (GlcCer) is present in plants, fungi, and animals. As a major plant sphingolipid, GlcCer is involved in the formation of lipid microdomains, and the regulation of GlcCer is key for acclimation to stress. Although the GlcCer biosynthetic pathway has been elucidated, little is known about GlcCer catabolism, and a plant GlcCer-degrading enzyme (glucosylceramidase (GCD)) has yet to be identified. Here, we identified AtGCD3, one of four Arabidopsis thaliana homologs of human nonlysosomal glucosylceramidase, as a plant GCD. We found that recombinant AtGCD3 has a low K_m for the fluorescent l

SUBMITTER: Dai GY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6970933 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature