A phospholipase is an enzyme that converts phospholipids into fatty acids and other lipophilic substances. There are four major classes, termed A, B, C and D.
Phospholipase A (PLA)
Phospholipase A2 catalyses the first step in the formation of
arachidonic acid, the precursor of
eicosanoids (
leukotrienes,
prostaglandins). Some eicosanoids are synthesized from
diacylglycerol, released from the
lipid bilayer by the phospholipase C (see below).
The PDB code for phospolipase A2 is 1CJY; the EC code is EC 3.1.1.4.
Phospholipase B (PLB)
- To be written
Phospholipase C (PLC)
- To be expanded
(Bacillus Cereus: PDB 1AH7, EC 3.1.4.3) Phospholipase C is a key enzyme in phosphatidylinositol (PI) metabolism. It is activated by either G proteins (making it part of a G protein-coupled receptor signal transduction pathway) or by transmembrane receptors with intrinsic or associated tyrosine kinase activity. It converts phosphatidylinositol to either inositol triphosphate or diacylglycerol.
Last updated: 08-04-2005 16:49:10