CerS3 synthesizes C24-ceramides and ceramides with longer acyl chains, and is found mainly in skin and testis.[1] Specifically, CerS3 synthesizes ceramides containing α-hydroxy (2-hydroxy) fatty acids, which are abundant in skin tissue, where they help maintain the water permeability barrier qualities of the skin.[2] It is found in large quantities in keratinocytes, and this increases during keratinocyte differentiation.[3]
CerS3 (T3l) mRNA is strongly expressed in skin, and was also found in brain, lung and kidney.[5] CerS3 is mainly found in the skin and testes. CerS3 is not detectable in the brain or the sciatic nerve.[6] Like other ceramide synthases, CerS3 is found in the endoplasmic reticulum within the cell.[7]
Structure
CerS3 has a molecular mass of 46.2 kDa, 383 amino acids, and six transmembrane domains. Like other ceramide synthases, CerS3 contains a Hox-like domain.[7] CerS3 is the only ceramide synthase for which splice variants have not been reported.[8]
↑Han X, Gross RW (2005). "Shotgun lipidomics: electrospray ionization mass spectrometric analysis and quantitation of cellular lipidomes directly from crude extracts of biological samples". Mass Spectrom Rev. 24 (3): 367–412. doi:10.1002/mas.20023. PMID15389848.
↑Mizutani Y, Kihara A, Chiba H, Tojo H, Igarashi Y (2008). "2-Hydroxy-ceramide synthesis by ceramide synthase family: enzymatic basis for the preference of FA chain length". J. Lipid Res. 49 (11): 2356–64. doi:10.1194/jlr.M800158-JLR200. PMID18541923.