Glycosphingolipids

Researchers solve structure of UGCG, the master enzyme behind glycolipid synthesis

Scientists led by Wu and colleagues determined eight structural snapshots of UDP-glucose ceramide glucosyltransferase (UGCG), the enzyme that initiates production of nearly all glycosphingolipids in cells. The structures, published in Nature, expose a previously unknown catalytic mechanism and show how existing drugs bind and inhibit the enzyme. They also uncovered a regulatory 'brake' element unique to primate versions of UGCG.