Sphingolipids in fungi: Biosynthesis and key roles in biological processes

Abstract

Sphingolipids are complex lipids involved in the global cell physiology. They are significant components of the plasma membrane, contributing to the organization of lipids and anchoring of proteins. In all organisms, the biosynthesis pathway of sphingolipids begins in the endoplasmic reticulum and ends in the Golgi apparatus, where the biosynthesis of more complex sphingolipids occurs. In recent years, the key roles of sphingolipids in fungal biological processes and in the capacity of fungi to adapt to various environments have become of increasing interest. Sphingolipids are also promising as alternative targets to the emergence of multi-drug resistant pathogenic fungal strains. This review presents an outline of the fungal sphingolipid biosynthesis pathway, and an overview of recent advances in their biological roles.