Solving an old puzzle in phospholipid biosynthesis.

SCHUJMAN, G; DE MENDOZA, DIEGO

Nature Chemical biology

Nature Pub. Group

Año: 2006 vol. 2 p. 573 - 574

Phospholipids are ubiquitous components of the membranes of every cell. In all organisms, phospholipid biosynthesis begins with two steps in which glycerol 3-phosphate (G3P) is acylated to form phosphatidic acid (PA; Fig. 1). It has been accepted for many years that the acyl donors for PA synthesis are fatty acyl chain intermediates bound through a thioester linkage to the sulfhydryl group present in coenzyme A (acyl-CoAs) or in the prosthetic group of acyl carrier protein (acyl-ACPs). In Escherichia coli, for which genetic approaches in concert with biochemical studies have resulted in a detailed understanding