Plant Sphingolipids Today - Are They Still Enigmatic?

S. Spassieva; J. Hille

doi:10.1055/s-2003-40726

Plant Biology, Table of Contents

Plant Biol (Stuttg) 2003; 5(2): 125-136
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-40726

Review Article

Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Plant Sphingolipids Today - Are They Still Enigmatic?

S. Spassieva¹ , J. Hille¹

¹Department Molecular Biology of Plants, Research School GBB, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

Abstract

Sphingolipids are a diverse group of lipids found in all eukaryotes and some bacteria, consisting of a hydrophobic ceramide and a hydrophilic head group. We have summarised the contemporary understanding of the structure of plant sphingolipids with an emphasis on glucosylceramides and inositolphosphorylceramides. Plant glucosylceramides are important structural components of plasma and vacuole membranes. Inositolphosphorylceramides have been identified as moieties of the glycosylphosphorylinositol (GPI) anchors of plant proteins targeted to the plasma membrane. In the last few years, progress has been made in the cloning of plant genes coding for enzymes involved in sphingolipid metabolism. As found in yeast and mammals, the plant sphingolipid pathway is a potential generator of powerful cell signals. The role of plant sphingolipid metabolites in programmed cell death and calcium influx is discussed.

Key words

Plant sphingolipids - ceramide - sphingolipid signalling - membrane lipids - plant GPI-anchored proteins

Full Text

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S. Spassieva

Dept. Molecular Biology of Plants
Research School GBB
University of Groningen

Kerklaan 30

9751 NN Haren

The Netherlands

Email: s.d.spassieva@biol.rug.nl

Section Editor: L. A. C. J. Voesenek