Exploring Complex Cellular Membranes: Lipid Modifications in Extremophilic Archaea and Filamentous Fungi

Since the existence of the microbial world, cellular membranes have been essential for the foundation of life. Each domain of life harbors a few signature lipids, and some lipid species are shared among the three domains of life, i.e., the archaea, bacteria, and eukarya. Although membranes have been studied extensively across all domains, much is still unknown about the enzymes involved in lipid modification, especially in archaea. This thesis explores the diversity of lipid species in membranes of archaea and the enzymes(s) involved in their modification.