Cellular membranes of the related fission yeast species differ in their dipole potential.

ABSTRACT: The dielectric environment and membrane dipole potential are key electrostatic properties of biological membranes, which modulate the function of membrane-associated proteins. If and how these properties are shaped by species-specific cellular lipid landscapes are fundamental questions. Here, we use two related fission yeast species, Schizosaccharomyces pombe (S. pombe) and Schizosaccharomyces japonicus (S. japonicus), which exhibit remarkable differences in membrane lipid composition, to address this problem. S. pombe synthesizes membranes from largely unsaturated glycerophospholipids with 18- and 16-carbon-long fatty acyl chains and the major fungal sterol ergosterol. Its relative S. japonicus produces abundant saturated asymmetrical glycerophospholipids that contain a medium-chain fatty

SUBMITTER: Rao BD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7619421 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature