Loss of alkaline ceramidase inhibits autophagy in Arabidopsis and plays an important role during environmental stress response

• DOI: 10.1111/pce.13148
• Publication Date: 2018-01-17T13:02:37Z
• Authors: Ping Zheng; Jian‐Xin Wu; Sunil Kumar Sahu; Hong‐Yun Zeng; Li‐Qun Huang; Zhe Liu; Shi Xiao; Nan Yao
• Keywords: Sphingolipid

Sphingolipids, a class of bioactive lipids found in cell membranes, can modulate the biophysical properties membranes and play critical role signal transduction. Sphingolipids are involved autophagy humans yeast, but their plants is not well understood. In this study, we reported that AtACER, an alkaline ceramidase hydrolyses ceramide to long-chain base (LCB), functions process Arabidopsis. Our empirical data showed loss AtACER inhibited autophagy, its overexpression promoted under nutrient, salinity, oxidative stresses. Interestingly, nitrogen deprivation significantly affected sphingolipid's profile Arabidopsis thaliana, especially LCBs. Furthermore, exogenous application LCBs also induced autophagy. findings revealed novel function where it was involve process, thus, playing crucial maintenance dynamic loop between sphingolipids for cellular homeostasis various environmental