Sizing up Surfactant Synthesis

Abstract

Phosphatidylcholine is generated through de novo synthesis and remodeling involving a lysophospholipid. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, research from the Shimizu lab (Harayama etal., 2014) demonstrates the highly selective enzymatic behavior of lysophospholipid acyltransferases. The authors present an enzymatic model for phosphatidylcholine molecular species diversification that impacts surfactant formation.