Download MendeleyStructure and mechanism of a eukaryotic ceramide synthase complex.
Xie, T., Fang, Q., Zhang, Z., Wang, Y., Dong, F., Gong, X.(2023) EMBO J 42: e114889-e114889
- PubMed: 37953642
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2023114889
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
8IZD, 8IZF - PubMed Abstract:
Ceramide synthases (CerS) catalyze ceramide formation via N-acylation of a sphingoid base with a fatty acyl-CoA and are attractive drug targets for treating numerous metabolic diseases and cancers. Here, we present the cryo-EM structure of a yeast CerS complex, consisting of a catalytic Lac1 subunit and a regulatory Lip1 subunit, in complex with C26-CoA substrate. The CerS holoenzyme exists as a dimer of Lac1-Lip1 heterodimers. Lac1 contains a hydrophilic reaction chamber and a hydrophobic tunnel for binding the CoA moiety and C26-acyl chain of C26-CoA, respectively. Lip1 interacts with both the transmembrane region and the last luminal loop of Lac1 to maintain the proper acyl chain binding tunnel. A lateral opening on Lac1 serves as a potential entrance for the sphingoid base substrate. Our findings provide a template for understanding the working mechanism of eukaryotic ceramide synthases and may facilitate the development of therapeutic CerS modulators.
Organizational Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
