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Important role in the lipid metabolism of cells: Osnabrück Biology team uncovers enzyme structure

Lipids fulfil various functions in cells. They are important components of cell membranes, act as energy stores or signal transducers and are building blocks for various cellular structures. In a recent study, researchers from Osnabrück Biology have decoded the structure of a key enzyme in the lipid metabolism of yeast cells: ceramide synthase.

02.12.2024

The ceramide synthase is responsible for the production of an essential class of lipids, the ceramides. This is a group of lipid molecules that occur in all eukaryotic cells and play a crucial role in maintaining the structure of the plasma membrane. Using cryo-electron microscopy, researchers from the Bioanalytical Chemistry research group (head: Prof. Dr. Florian Fröhlich) and the Structural Biology research group (head: Prof. Dr. Arne Möller) have now decoded the structure of the enzyme in yeast cells for the first time. Now, the active center and the reaction mechanism of the enzymes are determined. The study was published in the renowned journal „Nature Structural & Molecular Biology“ „Nature Structural & Molecular Biology“.

The work continues the collaboration between the two groups on the structural and functional analysis of enzymes involved in ceramide biosynthesis. Previous studies were published last year and this year in the journals „Nature Communications“ and „Cell Reports“.

About the current study:

Jan-Hannes Schäfer, Lena Clausmeyer, Carolin Körner, Bianca Esch, Verena Wolf, Jennifer Sapia, Yara Ahmed, Stefan Walter, Stefano Vanni, Dovile Januliene, Arne Moeller & Florian Fröhlich (2024): Structure of the yeast ceramide synthase. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.