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Talk by Dominic J. Campopiano

Title: "Sphingolipids in man and microbes"
Occasion: SFB - Seminar
Start: 12.06.2025 4:15 pm
Location: CellNanOs, 38/201

About the speaker: Prof. Dominic J. Campopiano conducts research at the School of Chemistry, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland

Sphingolipids (SLs) and their N-acylated derivatives, ceramides, are important structural components of eukaryotic membranes. In recent years they have also been found to play increasing roles in cell signalling and unbalanced SL levels are linked to various pathologies (e.g. inflammatory and metabolic disease, Alzheimer’s). It was thought that only a few bacterial species produced SLs, but recent research has revealed many more microbes produce these enigmatic lipids. They appear to play essential roles in the mammalian microbiome where they are involved in host/microbe communication. Over ~ 20 years, we have studied SL biosynthesis in eukaryotes and prokaryotes with a particular emphasis on the conserved first enzyme in the SL pathway, serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT). I will review our work on the structure and mechanism of SPT and then describe our recent discoveries on the novel, cryptic and unexpected SL pathways found in various bacteria. This seminar may appeal to those interested in enzyme structure/mechanism, as well as researchers working in the biosynthesis of important microbial metabolites.