CDP-choline:1,2-diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferase.

Cholinephosphotransferase transfers a phosphocholine moiety from CDP-choline to diacylglycerol thus forming phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) and CMP. This reaction defines the ultimate step in the Kennedy pathway for the genesis of de novo synthesized PtdCho. Hence, the intracellular location of cholinephosphotransferase identifies both the site from which de novo synthesized PtdCho is transported to other organelles and the site from which it is assembled with proteins and other lipids for secretion from the cell during the generation of lung surfactant, lipoproteins, and bile. Most subcellular fractionation studies observed the majority of cholinephosphotransferase activity in the endoplasmic reticulum, although the method of subcellular fractionation was found to grossly affect these results with activity alternately dispersed within Golgi, nuclear, and mitochondrial fractions. Coupling subcellular fractionation results with immunofluorescence or electron microscopy studies would resolve the issue of the site of PtdCho synthesis. However, antibodies have yet to be generated to cholinephosphotransferase since its integral membrane-bound nature has prevented its purification from any source and a mammalian cholinephosphotransferase cDNA has also yet to be isolated. However, cholinephosphotransferase genes have recently been isolated from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Structure/function analysis of the S. cerevisiae cholinephosphotransferase has allowed for an in depth molecular examination resulting in the identification of the catalytic site. In addition, this analysis has generated the predicted amino acid data necessary to produce antibodies to pursue the site of PtdCho synthesis in this organism, as well as to provide information that should allow for the isolation of mammalian cholinephosphotransferase cDNA(s).