LPCAT4
LPCAT4 (lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 4) is an acyl-CoA-dependent lysophospholipid acyltransferase of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane that takes part in phospholipid remodelling. It is also known as AGPAT7, LPAAT-eta, LPEAT2, LPLAT10 and AYTL3. Browse Assay Genie's current range of LPCAT4 research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
LPCAT4 is an acyl-CoA-dependent lysophospholipid acyltransferase involved in phospholipid remodelling. It transfers fatty acyl chains from acyl-CoA onto a subset of lysophospholipid acceptors. It converts lysophosphatidylethanolamine to phosphatidylethanolamine and lysophosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylcholine. It also converts 1-alkenyl-lysophosphatidylethanolamine to 1-alkenyl-phosphatidylethanolamine, and lysophosphatidylglycerol and alkyl-lysophosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylglycerol and alkyl-phosphatidylcholine.
The enzyme can use various medium- and long-chain, saturated and unsaturated fatty acyl-CoAs, and shows its highest activity toward unsaturated ones. It catalyses the biosynthesis of atypical phospholipids that carry unsaturated fatty acids esterified at the sn-1 position of the glycerol backbone. Lysophosphatidylcholines are the preferred acceptors, followed by lysophosphatidylethanolamines and lysophosphatidylserines. LPCAT4 contributes to the remodelling of brain phosphatidylcholine species carrying unsaturated acyl chains such as C18:1, C18:2, C20:4 and C22:6 at the sn-1 position. It shows no apparent activity toward lysophosphatidylinositols, lysophosphatidic acids, lysophosphatidylglycerols, glycerol-3-phosphates or diacylglycerols, and no acetyltransferase activity toward lyso-PAF. The protein is located in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane.
The LPCAT4 gene belongs to the 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase family. Its earlier names, 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase 7 (lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase, eta) and acyltransferase like 3, reflect this lineage. HGNC places it in the groups of 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferases, lysophospholipid acyltransferases and 1-acylglycerophosphoethanolamine O-acyltransferases. The NCBI Gene summary notes that family members such as AGPAT7 catalyse the conversion of lysophosphatidic acid to phosphatidic acid, a precursor in the biosynthesis of all glycerolipids, and that both lipids function in signal transduction. The UniProt annotation, however, describes substrate preferences centred on lysophosphatidylcholine and related lysophospholipids.
LPCAT4 re-acylates lysophospholipids to phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol species, making it a useful enzyme for studying how membrane phospholipid composition is maintained.
Its preference for unsaturated fatty acyl-CoAs and sn-1 acylation makes LPCAT4 relevant to research on atypical phospholipids carrying unsaturated fatty acids.
LPCAT4 contributes to remodelling of brain phosphatidylcholine with C18:1, C18:2, C20:4 and C22:6 acyl chains at the sn-1 position.
Defined activity toward some lysophospholipids, and none toward others such as lysophosphatidylinositols or lyso-PAF, supports comparative work on acyltransferase selectivity within the AGPAT family.
LPCAT4 is an acyl-CoA-dependent lysophospholipid acyltransferase involved in phospholipid remodelling. It transfers unsaturated fatty acyl chains to the sn-1 position of lysophosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylethanolamines and lysophosphatidylserines, with lysophosphatidylcholines preferred, and so generates atypical phospholipids.
The gene was first named as a member of the acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase family, hence AGPAT7, LPAAT-eta and AYTL3 (acyltransferase like 3). Later symbols such as LPEAT2, LPLAT10 and LPCAT4 reflect its lysophospholipid acyltransferase activity. FLJ10257 is an older clone-based alias.
Yes. The mouse ortholog of human LPCAT4 is Mboat2. The enzyme is annotated as a member of the 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase family. For cross-species work, check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Other lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferases and related acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferases involved in phospholipid synthesis and remodelling.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt Q643R3; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.