Metabolism of red-cell lipids II. Conversions of lysophosphoglycerides

Abstract

Lysolecithin is converted by lysed rabbit erythrocytes into lecithin and glycerylphosphorylcholine. The formation of lecithin by two reactions was demonstrated: by a transacylation requiring the addition of ATP and CoA, and by a dismutation of lysolecithin, not involving the incorporation of exogenous fatty acid but accompanied by the formation of glycerophosphorylcholine. under conditions favorable for fatty acid incorporation the first-mentioned pathway was found to be predominant. In addition, lysolecithin appears to be degraded by a lysophospholipase (EC 3.1.1.5).