Analysis of membrane lipid biogenesis pathways using yeast genetics

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has become a valuable eukaryotic model organism to study biochemical and cellular processes at a molecular basis. A common strategy for such studies is the use of single and multiple mutants constructed by genetic manipulation which are compromised in individual enzymatic steps or certain metabolic pathways. Here, we describe selected examples of yeast research on phospholipid metabolism with emphasis on our own work dealing with investigations of phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis. Such studies start with the selection and construction of appropriate mutants and lead to phenotype analysis, lipid profiling, enzymatic analysis, and in vivo experiments. Comparing results obtained with wild-type and mutant strains allows us to understand the role of gene products and metabolic processes in more detail. Such studies are valuable not only for contributing to our knowledge of the complex network of lipid metabolism, but also of effects of lipids on structure and function of cellular membranes.