Dictyostelium uses ether‐linked inositol phospholipids for intracellular signalling. (1st September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Clark, Jonathan; Kay, Robert R; Kielkowska, Anna; Niewczas, Izabella; Fets, Louise; Oxley, David; Stephens, Len R; Hawkins, Phillip T
• Is Part Of: EMBO journal. Volume 33:Number 19(2014)
• Page Start: 2188
• Page End: 2200
• Publication Date: 2014-09-01
• Subjects: Molecular biology -- Periodicals; 572.805
• DOI: 10.15252/embj.201488677
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0261-4189

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="embj201488677-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Inositol phospholipids are critical regulators of membrane biology throughout eukaryotes. The general principle by which they perform these roles is conserved across species and involves binding of differentially phosphorylated inositol head groups to specific protein domains. This interaction serves to both recruit and regulate the activity of several different classes of protein which act on membrane surfaces. In mammalian cells, these phosphorylated inositol head groups are predominantly borne by a C38:4 diacylglycerol backbone. We show here that the inositol phospholipids of <italic>Dictyostelium</italic> are different, being highly enriched in an unusual C34:1e lipid backbone, 1‐hexadecyl‐2‐(11Z‐octadecenoyl)‐<italic>sn</italic>‐glycero‐3‐phospho‐(1'‐myo‐inositol), in which the <italic>sn</italic>‐1 position contains an ether‐linked C16:0 chain; they are thus plasmanylinositols. These plasmanylinositols respond acutely to stimulation of cells with chemoattractants, and their levels are regulated by PIPKs, PI3Ks and PTEN. In mammals and now in <italic>Dictyostelium</italic>, the hydrocarbon chains of inositol phospholipids are a highly selected subset of those available to other phospholipids, suggesting that different molecular selectors are at play in these organisms but serve a common, evolutionarily conserved purpose.</p> </abstract>