Alkaline ceramidase 1 (ACER1)

Hydrolyzes the sphingolipid ceramide to sphingosine and free fatty acid for an optimal pH of 8.0.

Has an extremely restricted substrate specificity for the natural stereoisomer of ceramide with D-erythro-sphingosine but not D-ribo- phytosphingosine or D-erythro-dihydrosphingosine as a backbone. May have a role in regulating the levels of bioactive lipids ceramide and sphingosine 1-phosphate, in addition to complex sphingolipids (By similarity).