Sphingophospholipids

Sphingophospholipids

Q. 1 Which of the following structures is common to all sphingolipids?

 A Carnitine

 B

Ceramide

 C

Diacylglycerol

 D

Sphingomyelin

Q. 1

Which of the following structures is common to all sphingolipids?

 A

Carnitine

 B

Ceramide

 C

Diacylglycerol

 D

Sphingomyelin

Ans. B

Explanation:

 

Sphingolipids are a class of lipids that are structural components of membranes. Ceramide is a component of sphingolipids. Ceramide is composed of sphingosine, a long-chain amino alcohol with a saturated fatty acid linked to the amino group. Sphingolipids can be differentiated on the basis of the “X” group that is esterified to the terminal hydroxyl group of ceramide.
 
Carnitine is involved in the oxidation of fatty acids. Carnitine is important in transferring fatty acids from the cytoplasm into the mitochondria (the carnitine shuttle).
 
Diacylglycerol is the alcohol common to all phospholipids. The second alcohol (e.g., choline, ethanolamine, serine) contributes the polar head that distinguishes the different classes of phospholipids. Like sphingolipids, phospholipids are found in membranes.
 
Sphingomyelin is a sphingolipid with phosphocholine as its “X” group. It is a component of the myelin sheath. 
 
Ref: Botham K.M., Mayes P.A. (2011). Chapter 24. Metabolism of Acylglycerols & Sphingolipids. In D.A. Bender, K.M. Botham, P.A. Weil, P.J. Kennelly, R.K. Murray, V.W. Rodwell (Eds), Harper’s Illustrated Biochemistry, 29e.

Q. 2 A membrane phospholipid that does not contain glycerol is:

 A

Lecithine

 B

Cardiolipin

 C

Sphingomyelin

 D

Cellulose

Ans. C

Explanation:

Sphingomyelin has got sphingosine alcohol, not the glycerol. Lecithin & cardiolipin has got glycerol in it and they are membrane phospholipid.


Q. 3

Glycosphingolipidis made up of:

 A

Glucose

 B

Fatty acids

 C

Sphingosine

 D

All Correct

Ans. D

Explanation:

A, B, C i.e. Glucose, Sphingosine, Fatty acids

Glycosphingolipid = Ceramide (Sphingosine / amino alcohol + Fatty acid) + Mono/oligo saccharide like glucose, galactose. Ganglioside (acidic glycosphingolipid) = Ceramide + Oligosaccharide + NANA (N-acetylneuraminic acid or sialic acid)

 

–  Glyco-sphingolipid is made up of ceramide (which is a long chain fatty acid attached to amino group of sphingosine through an amide linkage i.e. = sphingosine/ amino alcohol + Fatty acid) attached directly to mono /oligo saccharide

(polar head) by an 0-glycosidic bond. Glycosphingolipids differ from sphingomyelin (phospho- sphingolipid) in that they do not contain phosphate (polar group); and differ from glycerophospholipids (phosphoglycerides) that they do not contain glycerol.

Ganglioside (acidic, negatively charged glyco-sphingolipid) contain sphingosine alcohol (4 sphingenine) 1 molecule, long chan fatty acid (1 mol), Oligosaccharide polar head and 1 or more residues of N- acetylneurminic acid (Neu 5 Ac), a sialic acid (often simply called sialic acid) giving it a negative charge, at termini. Ganglioside do not contain glycerol and phosphateQ.

Ceramide containing sphingosine amino alcohol is present in all sphingolipids (ie. phospho & glyco- sphingolipids)Q.




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