Analysis of Malassezia Lipidome Disclosed Differences Among the Species and Reveals Presence of Unusual Yeast Lipids

Abstract

Malassezia yeasts are lipid dependent and part of the human and animal skin microbiome. However, they are also associated with a variety of dermatological conditions and even cause systemic infections. How these yeasts can live as commensals on the skin and switch to a pathogenic stage has long been a matter of debate. Lipids are important cellular molecules, and understanding the lipid metabolism and composition of Malassezia species is crucial to comprehending their biology and host–microbe interaction. Here, we investigated the lipid composition of Malassezia strains grown to the stationary phase in a complex Dixon medium broth. In this study, we perform a lipidomic analysis of a subset of species; in addition, we conducted a gene prediction analysis for the detection of lipid metabolic proteins. We identified 18 lipid classes and 428 lipidic compounds. The most commonly found lipids were triglycerides (TAG), sterol (CH), diglycerides (DG), fatty acids (FAs), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), ceramides, cholesteryl ester (CE), sphingomyelin (SM), acylcarnitine, and lysophospholipids. Particularly, we found a low content of CEs in Malassezia furfur , atypical M. furfur , and Malassezia pachydermatis and undetectable traces of these components in Malassezia globosa, Malassezia restricta , and Malassezia sympodialis . Remarkably, uncommon lipids in yeast, like diacylglyceryltrimethylhomoserine and FA esters of hydroxyl FAs, were found in a variable concentration in these Malassezia species. The latter are bioactive lipids recently reported to have antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties. The results obtained can be used to discriminate different Malassezia species and offer a new overview of the lipid composition of these yeasts. We could confirm the presence and the absence of certain lipid-biosynthesis genes in specific species. Further analyses are necessary to continue disclosing the complex lipidome of Malassezia species and the impact of the lipid metabolism in connection with the host interaction.

ATGL is a biosynthetic enzyme for fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids

“…Other organisms can also synthesize FAHFAs from exogenous FAs. This is demonstrated by the fact that communal yeast strains that lack the FA synthesis gene, Fasn , and are dependent on exogenous FAs from human skin for survival, have endogenous FAHFAs 2 . In this study, we aim to discover the enzyme(s) responsible for FAHFA biosynthesis (that is, the formation of the ester bond between the FA and the HFA).…”

“… Branched fatty acid (FA) esters of hydroxy FAs (HFAs; FAHFAs) are recently discovered lipids that are conserved from yeast to mammals 1 , 2 . A subfamily, palmitic acid esters of hydroxy stearic acids (PAHSAs), are anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic 1 , 3 .…”

Skin Microbiome, Metabolome and Skin Phenome, from the Perspectives of Skin as an Ecosystem

“…Malassezia spp. metabolize sebum to different fatty acids such as phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylserine (PS), which then act as irritants, causing flaking and irritation under dandruff, a frequent scalp issue and seborrheic dermatitis conditions (Celis Ramírez et al 2020 ; DeAngelis et al 2005 ; Han et al 2019 ; Johansson et al 2018 ).…”

Diversity of ESI-MS Based Phosphatidylcholine Profiles in Basidiomycetes

“…In teliospores of two species from genus Puccinia (class Pucciniomycetes) 16:0/18:2 and/or 16:0/18:1 were the main molecules accompanied by 16:0/20:4, 16:1/20:4 and some other species bearing unsaturated and very long chain fatty acids [9]. In six very specific pathogenic species Malassezia (class Ustilagomycetes), which characterized by the absence of de novo synthesis of fatty acids, PC molecular species were distributed as follows 36:2 > 36:3 >> 36:4, 34:1, 34:2 [37]. According to our results in all 38 species of investigated basidiomycetes 36:x is an only dominant group of molecular species of PC, while 34:x, 38:x and 40:x are minor ones.…”