Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons^™

Investigation Of Pathways For Complex Sphingolipid Biosynthesis In Arabidopsis Thaliana (L.) Heynh, Kyle Luttgeharm

Department of Biochemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Sphingolipids are essential components of eukaryote membranes. The ceramide backbone of complex sphingolipids is composed of an 18 carbon Long Chain Base (LCB) bound to a 16-26 carbon fatty acid (FA) through an amide linkage. Ceramides are synthesized de novo from a free LCB and fatty acyl coA by ceramide synthase (sphingosine N-acyl transferase, EC 2.3.1.24) which can be inhibited by the fungal mycotoxin Fumonisin B₁. Arabidopsis thaliana contains three ceramide synthases denoted LOH1, LOH2, and LOH3 that have previously been hypothesized to have unique substrate preferences that control the final sphingolipid composition, different susceptibilities to …