Archaeal glycerophospholipids are the main constituents of the cytoplasmic membrane in the archaeal domain of life and fundamentally differ in chemical composition compared to bacterial phospholipids. They consist of isoprenyl chains ether-bonded to glycerol-1-phosphate. In contrast, bacterial glycerophospholipids are composed of fatty acyl chains ester-bonded to glycerol-3-phosphate. This largely domain-distinguishing feature has been termed the “lipid-divide”. The chemical composition of archaeal membranes contributes to the ability of archaea to survive and thrive in extreme environments. However, ether-bonded glycerophospholipids are not only limited to extremophiles and found also in mesophilic archaea. Resolving the structural basis of glycerophospholipid biosynthesis is a key objective to provide insights in the early evolution of membrane formation and to deepen our understanding of the molecular basis of extremophilicity. Many of the glycerophospholipid enzymes are either integral membrane proteins or membrane-associated, and hence are intrinsically difficult to study structurally. However, in recent years, the crystal structures of several key enzymes have been solved, while unresolved enzymatic steps in the archaeal glycerophospholipid biosynthetic pathway have been clarified providing further insights in the lipid-divide and the evolution of early life.

古细菌甘油磷脂是生命古细菌域中细胞质膜的主要成分，与细菌磷脂相比，其化学成分根本不同。它们由醚键合到甘油-1-磷酸的异戊二烯链组成。相反，细菌甘油磷脂由脂肪酰基链酯键合到甘油-3-磷酸组成。这种在很大程度上区分领域的特征被称为“脂质鸿沟”。古细菌膜的化学成分有助于古细菌在极端环境中生存和繁衍的能力。然而，醚键甘油磷脂不仅限于极端微生物，也存在于嗜温古细菌中。解决甘油磷脂生物合成的结构基础是提供膜形成早期进化见解和加深我们对极端分子基础的理解的关键目标。许多甘油磷脂酶要么是完整的膜蛋白，要么是膜相关蛋白，因此在结构上很难研究。然而，近年来，几种关键酶的晶体结构已得到解决，同时阐明了古细菌甘油磷脂生物合成途径中未解决的酶促步骤，从而为脂质分裂和早期生命的进化提供了进一步的见解。因此本质上很难在结构上进行研究。然而，近年来，几种关键酶的晶体结构已得到解决，同时阐明了古细菌甘油磷脂生物合成途径中未解决的酶促步骤，从而为脂质分裂和早期生命的进化提供了进一步的见解。因此本质上很难在结构上进行研究。然而，近年来，几种关键酶的晶体结构已得到解决，同时阐明了古细菌甘油磷脂生物合成途径中未解决的酶促步骤，从而为脂质分裂和早期生命的进化提供了进一步的见解。