Journal
FEBS LETTERS
Volume 525, Issue 1-3, Pages 59-64Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/S0014-5793(02)03067-3
Keywords
sphingolipid; fungus; glycosyltransferase; glycolipid; PDMP; synthase
Funding
- NCRR NIH HHS [P41 RR05351] Funding Source: Medline
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The opportunistic mycopathogen Aspergillus fumigatus expresses both glucosylceramide and galactosylceramide (GlcCer and GalCer), but their functional significance in Aspergillus species is unknown. We here identified and characterized a GlcCer from Aspergillus nidulans, a non-pathogenic model fungus. Involvement of GlcCer in fungal development was tested on both species using a family of compounds known to inhibit GlcCer synthase in mammals. Two analogs, D-threo-1-phenyl-2-palmitoyl-3-pyrrolidinopropanol (P4) and D-threo-3',4'-ethylenedioxy-P4, strongly inhibited germination and hyphal growth. Neutral lipids from A. fumigatus cultured in the presence of these inhibitors displayed a significantly reduced GlcCer/GalCer ratio. These results suggest that synthesis of GlcCer is essential for normal development of A. fumigatus and A. nidulans. (C) 2002 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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