| From Early Cells to Multicellularity |
LIFE is a NASA Research Coordination Network, dedicated to understanding life from early cells to multicellularity. The LIFE Research Coordination Network (RCN) is pleased to host a virtual seminar series that will showcase the research of leaders and emerging leaders in the field of astrobiology.
The LIFE RCN Seminar Series is held the first Monday of every month from 1-2 PM EST and will consist of live-streamed short (30-40 min) talks followed by Q&A and discussion. This seminar series is open to all who share an interest in the co-evolution of life and the Earth from the appearance of the earliest cells to the advent of multicellularity.
Click here to join the LIFE mailing list. Connect on Twitter @LIFE_RCN. |
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| Monday, July 10th at 10AM PDT / 1PM EDT / 5PM UTC |
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| Dr. Paula V. Welander Associate Professor Stanford University |
| Membrane Biosynthesis in Archaea
The most striking biochemical distinction of the archaea, microbes that are phylogenetically distinct from bacteria and eukaryotes, is the chemical and structural composition of their lipid membranes. While bacteria and eukaryotes primarily have lipid bilayers composed of fatty acid chains ester linked to glycerol-3-phosphate, archaeal membranes are composed of isoprenoid-based chains ether linked to glycerol-1-phosphate.
In addition, several archaeal species fuse their membrane bilayers to generate monolayers that can be further modified with the addition of pentacyclic rings, methylations, and cross-links across the lipid monolayer. All these membrane modifications are thought to occur as a response to harsh environmental conditions inhabited by many archaea – high temperatures, pH fluctuations, and nutrient limitations. However, links between environmental conditions and archaeal membrane modifications have been difficult to make for a variety of reasons including the difficulty in culturing these organisms, the paucity of molecular and genetic tools to manipulate these organisms, and a lack of understanding of the biochemical and regulatory pathways involved in the synthesis and modification of archaeal membranes.
Here, I will explore recent discoveries in archaeal membrane biosynthesis and the impact physiological conditions have on the synthesis of these unique membranes in these fascinating microbes. |
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