Journal article

A Novel Function of Sphingosine Kinase 2 in the Metabolism of Sphinga-4,14-Diene Lipids

Timothy Andrew Couttas, Yepy Hardi Rustam, Huitong Song, Yanfei Qi, Jonathan David Teo, Jinbiao Chen, Gavin Edmund Reid, Anthony Simon Don

Metabolites | MDPI AG | Published : 2020

Abstract

The number, position, and configuration of double bonds in lipids affect membrane fluidity and the recruitment of signaling proteins. Studies on mammalian sphingolipids have focused on those with a saturated sphinganine or mono-unsaturated sphingosine long chain base. Using high-resolution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), we observed a marked accumulation of lipids containing a di-unsaturated sphingadiene base in the hippocampus of mice lacking the metabolic enzyme sphingosine kinase 2 (SphK2). The double bonds were localized to positions C4–C5 and C14–C15 of sphingadiene using ultraviolet photodissociation-tandem mass spectrometry (UVPD-MS/MS). Phosphorylation of s..

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University of Melbourne Researchers