Biological Roles Played by Sphingolipids in Dimorphic and Filamentous Fungi

mBio

Caroline Mota Fernandes¹  Maurizio Del Poeta¹  Gustavo H. Goldman² 

[1] Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA;Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Prêto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Prêto, São Paulo, Brazil;

关键词: ceramide;    glucosylceramide;    inositol phosphorylceramide;    sphingolipids;    dimorphic fungi;    fatty acids;   

DOI  :  10.1128/mBio.00642-18

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

ABSTRACT Filamentous and dimorphic fungi cause invasive mycoses associated with high mortality rates. Among the fungal determinants involved in the establishment of infection, glycosphingolipids (GSLs) have gained increased interest in the last few decades. GSLs are ubiquitous membrane components that have been isolated from both filamentous and dimorphic species and play a crucial role in polarized growth as well as hypha-to-yeast transition. In fungi, two major classes of GSLs are found: neutral and acidic GSLs. Neutral GSLs comprise glucosylceramide and galactosylceramide, which utilize Δ4-Δ8-9-methyl-sphingadienine as a sphingoid base, linked to a C16–18 fatty acid chain, forming ceramide, and to a sugar residue, such as glucose or galactose. In contrast, acidic GSLs include glycosylinositol phosphorylceramides (GIPCs), composed of phytosphingosine attached to a long or very long fatty acid chain (C18–26) and to diverse and complex glycan groups via an inositol-phosphate linker. GIPCs are absent in mammalian cells, while fungal glucosylceramide and galactosylceramide are present but diverge structurally from their counterparts. Therefore, these compounds and their biosynthetic pathways represent potential targets for the development of selective therapeutic strategies. In this minireview, we discuss the enzymatic steps involved in the production of fungal GSLs, analyze their structure, and address the role of the currently characterized genes in the biology and pathogenesis of filamentous and dimorphic fungi.

【 授权许可】

Unknown