Ceramide kinase: The first decade

It has been some 20 years since the initial discovery of ceramide 1-phosphate (C1P) and nearly a decade since ceramide kinase (CERK) was cloned. Many studies have shown that Cl P is important for membrane biology and for the regulation of membrane-bound proteins, and the CERK enzyme has appeared to be tightly regulated in order to control both ceramide levels and production of C1P. Furthermore, C1P made by CERK has emerged as a genuine signalling entity. However, it represents only part of the Cl P pool that is available in the cell, therefore suggesting that alternative unknown Cl P-producing mechanisms may also play a role. Recent technological developments for measuring complex sphingolipids in biological samples, together with the availability of Cerk-deficient animals as well as potent CERK inhibitors, have now provided new grounds for investigating C1P biology further. Here, we will review the current understanding of CERK and Cl Pin terms of biochemistry and functional implications, with particular attention to Cl P produced by CERK. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.