FEBS Letters
Volume 584, Issue 9 , Pages 1634-1641, 3 May 2010

Glycosphingolipids in microdomain formation and their spatial organization

Edited by Sandro Sonnino

  • Garima Gupta

      Affiliations

    • Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012, India
    • ,
  • Avadhesha Surolia

      Affiliations

    • Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012, India
    • National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110 067, India
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Address: National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110 067, India. Fax: +91 11 26717104.

Received 6 October 2009; received in revised form 17 November 2009; accepted 19 November 2009. published online 23 November 2009.

Abstract 

Plasma membranes regulate the influx and efflux of molecules across themselves and are also responsible for primary signal transduction between cells or within the same cell. Presence of lateral heterogeneity and the ability of reorganization are essential requirements for effective functioning of biomembranes. Lipid rafts are small, heterogeneous, dynamic domains enriched in glycosphingolipids, sphingomyelin and cholesterol, and profoundly influence membrane organization. Glycosphingolipids are inclined towards formation of liquid-ordered phases in membranes, both with and without cholesterol; they are therefore prime players in domain formation. Here, we discuss the role of glycosphingolipids in microdomain formation and their spatial organization within these rafts.

Abbreviations: ld, liquid-disordered, lc, liquid-crystalline, lo, liquid-ordered phase, DRM, detergent-resistant membrane, DIGs, detergent-insoluble glycolipid-enriched complexes, GEMs, glycolipid-enriched membranes, LDTIs, low-density Triton insoluble complexes, GPI, glycophosphatidylinositol, RCA1, Ricinus communis agglutinin, LacCer, lactosylceramides, CTL, cholestatrienol, tPA, trans-parinaric acid, DPPC, 1,2-di-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, GUVs, giant unilamellar vesicles, AFM, atomic force microscopy, DLPC, 1,2-di-lauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, DOPC, 1,2-di-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, POPC, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, PSM, palmitoyl sphingomyelin, DPH, diphenylhexatriene, FTIR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, SMS, sphingomyelin synthase

Keywords: Glycosphingolipid, Sphingomyelin, Ganglioside, Sulfatide, Liquid-disordered phase, Microdomain

To access this article, please choose from the options below

Login to an existing account or Register a new account.

  • Purchase this article for 31.50 USD (You must login/register to purchase this article)

    Online access for 24 hours. The PDF version can be downloaded as your permanent record.

  • Subscribe to this title

    Get unlimited online access to this article and all other articles in this title 24/7 for one year.

  • Claim access now

    For current subscribers with Society Membership or Account Number.

  • Visit SciVerse ScienceDirect to see if you have access via your institution.
 

PII: S0014-5793(09)00983-1

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2009.11.070

FEBS Letters
Volume 584, Issue 9 , Pages 1634-1641, 3 May 2010

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution