Esterification of glycerol 3-phosphate in lactating guinea-pig mammary gland.

1. The presence of palmitoyl-CoA-l-glycerol 3-phosphate palmitoyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.15) has been demonstrated in a particulate fraction of mammary tissue from lactating guinea pigs. 2. Cell-free preparations also catalysed the activation of palmitate and oleate, and the conversion of enzymically formed phosphatidic acid into glycerides, in accord with the Kennedy pathway of glyceride formation. 3. The properties of the system that esterifies l-glycerol 3-phosphate were studied with respect to substrates and cofactors, and the reaction product was shown to be phosphatidic acid (1,2-diacyl glycerol 3-phosphate). 4. The extent to which newly formed phosphatidic acid was converted into glyceride in a cell-free system was dependent on the nature of the acyl donor, the concentration of subcellular particles, the time of incubation and the concentration of Mg(2+).