Sphingolipids in bacteria and fungi

Sphingolipids constitute a distinctive group of membrane lipids characteriz ed by a long-chain (monounsaturated), di-hydroxy amine structure (sphingosi ne). Sphingolipids are essential components of the plasma membrane of mamma lian cells where they are typically found in the outer leaflet. They are al so membrane constituents of some bacterial groups, particularly anaerobes. These groups include Bacteroides, Prevotella, Porphyromonas, Fusobacterium, Sphingomonas, Sphingobacterium, Bdellovibrio, Cystobacter, Mycoplasma, Fle ctobacillus, and possibly Acetobacter. Fungi in which sphingolipids have be en found comprise Saccharomyces, Candida, Histoplasma, Phytophthora, Crypto coccus, Aspergillus, Neurospora, Schizosaccharomyces, Fusicoccum, Shizophyl lum, Amanita, Hansenula, Lactarius, Lentinus, Penicillium, Clitocybe, Parac occidioides, Agaricus, Sporothrix, and oomycete plant pathogens. The fact t hat sphingolipids, are not universally present in bacteria and fungi makes them interesting as taxonomic markers. Thus in Sphingomonas spp. distinctio n by sphingolipid and fatty acid patterns is in agreement with phylogenetic clustering by 16 S rRNA gene sequences. (C) 2001 Academic Press.