Molecular Biology Commons^™

Defining The Roles Of Serine Palmitoyltransferase-Interacting Proteins In The Regulation Of Sphingolipid Homeostasis, Athen N. Kimberlin

Department of Biochemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Sphingolipids are major structural components of the plasma membrane and endomembrane system. Research suggests that sphingolipids are involved with the formation of lipid microdomains, also known as lipid rafts, which may help to organize proteins within the membrane and may be important for membrane trafficking. Aside from their structural roles in membranes, sphingolipids and their metabolic products have been implicated in several cellular signaling responses like programmed cell death (PCD). Because of this, maintenance of sphingolipid homeostasis is critical for eukaryotic cell growth and development. Serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) catalyzes the first step in sphingolipid biosynthesis and is the primary regulatory …