Structure and biological functions of fungal cerebrosides
Ceramide monohexosides (CMHs, cerebrosides) are glycosphingolipids composed of a hydrophobic ceramide linked to one sugar unit. In fungal cells, CMHs are very conserved molecules consisting of a ceramide moiety containing 9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine in amidic linkage to 2-hydroxyoctadecanoic or 2-hy...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Academia Brasileira de Ciências
2004-01-01
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| Series: | Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0001-37652004000100007 |
| _version_ | 1819170355417186304 |
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| author | Barreto-Bergter Eliana Pinto Marcia R. Rodrigues Marcio L. |
| author_facet | Barreto-Bergter Eliana Pinto Marcia R. Rodrigues Marcio L. |
| author_sort | Barreto-Bergter Eliana |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ceramide monohexosides (CMHs, cerebrosides) are glycosphingolipids composed of a hydrophobic ceramide linked to one sugar unit. In fungal cells, CMHs are very conserved molecules consisting of a ceramide moiety containing 9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine in amidic linkage to 2-hydroxyoctadecanoic or 2-hydroxyhexadecanoic acids, and a carbohydrate portion consisting of one residue of glucose or galactose. 9-Methyl 4,8-sphingadienine-containing ceramides are usually glycosylated to form fungal cerebrosides, but the recent description of a ceramide dihexoside (CDH) presenting phytosphingosine in Magnaporthe grisea suggests the existence of alternative pathways of ceramide glycosylation in fungal cells. Along with their unique structural characteristics, fungal CMHs have a peculiar subcellular distribution and striking biological properties. In Pseudallescheria boydii, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus nidulans, A. fumigatus, and Schizophyllum commune, CMHs are apparently involved in morphological transitions and fungal growth. The elucidation of structural and functional aspects of fungal cerebrosides may therefore contribute to the design of new antifungal agents inhibiting growth and differentiation of pathogenic species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T19:34:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-17cc09677fab4514b181058478d17a17 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0001-3765 1678-2690 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T19:34:05Z |
| publishDate | 2004-01-01 |
| publisher | Academia Brasileira de Ciências |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências |
| spelling | doaj.art-17cc09677fab4514b181058478d17a172022-12-21T18:15:02ZengAcademia Brasileira de CiênciasAnais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências0001-37651678-26902004-01-017616784Structure and biological functions of fungal cerebrosidesBarreto-Bergter ElianaPinto Marcia R.Rodrigues Marcio L.Ceramide monohexosides (CMHs, cerebrosides) are glycosphingolipids composed of a hydrophobic ceramide linked to one sugar unit. In fungal cells, CMHs are very conserved molecules consisting of a ceramide moiety containing 9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine in amidic linkage to 2-hydroxyoctadecanoic or 2-hydroxyhexadecanoic acids, and a carbohydrate portion consisting of one residue of glucose or galactose. 9-Methyl 4,8-sphingadienine-containing ceramides are usually glycosylated to form fungal cerebrosides, but the recent description of a ceramide dihexoside (CDH) presenting phytosphingosine in Magnaporthe grisea suggests the existence of alternative pathways of ceramide glycosylation in fungal cells. Along with their unique structural characteristics, fungal CMHs have a peculiar subcellular distribution and striking biological properties. In Pseudallescheria boydii, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus nidulans, A. fumigatus, and Schizophyllum commune, CMHs are apparently involved in morphological transitions and fungal growth. The elucidation of structural and functional aspects of fungal cerebrosides may therefore contribute to the design of new antifungal agents inhibiting growth and differentiation of pathogenic species.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0001-37652004000100007glucosylceramidecerebrosidesglycosphingolipidsfungal pathogensantifungal therapy |
| spellingShingle | Barreto-Bergter Eliana Pinto Marcia R. Rodrigues Marcio L. Structure and biological functions of fungal cerebrosides Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências glucosylceramide cerebrosides glycosphingolipids fungal pathogens antifungal therapy |
| title | Structure and biological functions of fungal cerebrosides |
| title_full | Structure and biological functions of fungal cerebrosides |
| title_fullStr | Structure and biological functions of fungal cerebrosides |
| title_full_unstemmed | Structure and biological functions of fungal cerebrosides |
| title_short | Structure and biological functions of fungal cerebrosides |
| title_sort | structure and biological functions of fungal cerebrosides |
| topic | glucosylceramide cerebrosides glycosphingolipids fungal pathogens antifungal therapy |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0001-37652004000100007 |
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