What is the key rate-limiting enzyme for diacylglycerol synthesis?

The rate-limiting enzyme for diacylglycerol (DAG) synthesis depends on the synthesis pathway:

1. In the 'phosphatidic acid pathway' (Kennedy pathway), DAG is generated from phosphatidic acid (PA) through dephosphorylation, and the rate-limiting step is usually:

Phosphatidic acid phosphatase (PAP), especially the Lipin protein family, catalyzes PA → DAG and is considered the rate-limiting step in this pathway.

 

2. In the 'glycerol-3-phosphate pathway' (de novo synthesis):

The precursor for DAG synthesis is phosphatidic acid (PA), and the key rate-limiting enzyme is glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), particularly the mitochondrial GPAT1. This enzyme acylates glycerol-3-phosphate to LPA, which is the initial rate-limiting step.

 

In summary, if the focus is on the most direct generation step of DAG, then PAP (like Lipin) is the key rate-limiting enzyme; if considering de novo synthesis, then GPAT is the initial rate-limiting enzyme. Further clarification is needed based on the pathway (e.g., triglyceride synthesis, signal transduction, or membrane lipid synthesis).

 

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