biostudies-literatureCosta JConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicase32807https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11225845biostudies-literatureUnknown10(12)Plasmalogens are glycerophospholipids with a vinyl ether bond, rather than an ester bond, at <i>sn</i>-1 position. These lipids were described in anaerobic bacteria, myxobacteria, animals and some protists, but not in plants or fungi. Anaerobic and aerobic organisms synthesize plasmalogens differently. The aerobic pathway requires oxygen in the last step, which is catalyzed by PEDS1. CarF and TMEM189 were recently identified as the PEDS1 from myxobacteria and mammals, which could be of valuable use in exploring the distribution of this pathway in eukaryotes. We show the presence of plasmalogens in <i>Capsaspora owczarzaki</i>, one of the closest unicellular relatives of animals. This is the first report of plasmalogens in non-metazoan opisthokontas. Analysis of its genome revealed the presHeliyonThe presence of plasmenyl ether lipids in <i>Capsaspora owczarzaki</i> suggests a premetazoan origin of plasmalogen biosynthesis in animals.PMC11225845PIP 2021 N\u00B0 100805COAltabe SGGabrielli MCosta JUttaro ADfalseThe presence of plasmenyl ether lipids in <i>Capsaspora owczarzaki</i> suggests a premetazoan origin of plasmalogen biosynthesis in animals.Plasmalogens are glycerophospholipids with a vinyl ether bond, rather than an ester bond, at <i>sn</i>-1 position. These lipids were described in anaerobic bacteria, myxobacteria, animals and some protists, but not in plants or fungi. Anaerobic and aerobic organisms synthesize plasmalogens differently. The aerobic pathway requires oxygen in the last step, which is catalyzed by PEDS1. CarF and TMEM189 were recently identified as the PEDS1 from myxobacteria and mammals, which could be of valuable use in exploring the distribution of this pathway in eukaryotes. We show the presence of plasmalogens in <i>Capsaspora owczarzaki</i>, one of the closest unicellular relatives of animals. This is the first report of plasmalogens in non-metazoan opisthokontas. Analysis of its genome revealed the pres2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Jun2026-06-01T21:26:54.469Z2025-04-04T12:21:51.805ZS-EPMC112258453897517710.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32807