Ether lipid synthesis: purification and identification of alkyl dihydroxyacetone phosphate synthase from guinea-pig liver

Alkyl-dihydroxyacetone phosphate synthase, the second Enzyme involved in ether phospholipid biosynthesis from dihydroxyacetone phosphate and responsible for glycero-ether bond formation, has been purified from guinea-pig liver. Alkyl-dihydroxyacetone phosphate synthase was solubilized from a membrane fraction prepared from an enriched peroxisome fraction with Triton X-100 and potassium chloride. The solubilized Enzyme was further purified by chromatography on QAE-Sephadex, Matrex Red, Phosphocellulose and Concanavalin A. Upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis alkyl-dihydroxyacetone phosphate synthase appears as a 65 kDa band. Chromatofocusing revealed an isoelectric point of pH 5.9 for the Enzyme. The pH optimum of alkyl-dihydroxyacetone phosphate synthase was found to be between pH 7 and 8 in a 50 mM potassium phosphate buffer. The specific activity of the Enzyme was estimated to be at least 350 nmol.min-1.mg-1, corresponding to a purification of at least 13,000-fold.