Phosphatidylcholines (PC) are a class of phospholipids that incorporate a phosphocholine headgroup into a diacylglycerol backbone. They are the most abundant phospholipid in eukaryotic cell membranes and has both structural and signalling roles. In eukaryotes, there exist two phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis pathways: the Kennedy pathway and the methylation pathway. The Kennedy pathway begins with the direct phosphorylation of free choline into phosphocholine followed by conversion into CDP-choline and subsequently phosphatidylcholine. It is the major synthesis route in animals. In the visualization, all enzymes that are dark green in colour are membrane-localized. The first reaction of the Kennedy pathway involves the cytosol-localized enzyme choline/ethanolamine kinase catalyzing the conversion of choline into phosphocholine. Second, choline-phosphate cytidylyltransferase, localized to the endoplasmic reticulum membrane, catalyzes the conversion of phosphocholine to CDP-choline. Last, choline/ethanolaminephosphotransferase catalyzes phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis from CDP-choline. A parallel Kennedy pathway forms phosphatidylethanolamine from ethanolamine. Phosphatidylethanolamines (PE) are a class of phospholipids that incorporate a phosphoric acid headgroup into a diacylglycerol backbone. They are the second most abundant phospholipid in eukaryotic cell membranes, and contrary to phosphatidylcholine, they are concentrated with phosphatidylserine in the cell membrane's inner leaflet. Phosphatidylethanolamine is also synthesized from phosphatidylserine at the mitochondrial inner membrane by phosphatidylserine decarboxylase. Phosphatidylserine, itself, is synthesized using a base-exchange reaction with phosphatidylcholine. This reaction is catalyzed by phosphatidylserine synthase which is located in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane.

Phosphatidylcholine/Phosphatidylethanolamine Biosynthesis References