Formation of adenosine 5'-phosphoroglycerol from ATP and glycerol by rat liver plasma membranes

Rat liver plasma membranes are shown to catalyze the formation of adenosine 5'-phosphoroglycerol and adenosine 5'-phosphoromethanol from ATP and glycerol or methanol, respectively. In the presence of 2.7 M glycerol and 1 mM ATP, 30 nmol of adenosine 5'-phosphoroglycerol were formed in 10 min per mg of rat liver plasma membranes. The structures of these phosphodiesters were determined from the following evidence. Radioactivity was incorporated into the nucleotide from [alpha-32P]ATP, [2,8-3H]ATP, or [2-3H]glycerol. Treatment with snake venom phosphodiesterase I converted the nucleotides to AMP. The compound formed from glycerol and ATP co-migrated with adenosine 5'-phosphoroglycerol synthesized from glycerol and adenosine 5'-phosphoromorpholidate in five thin layer chromatography systems. The methyl derivative co-migrated with adenosine 5'-phosphoromethanol synthesized from methanol and adenosine 5'-phosphormorpholidate in several thin layer chromatography systems. The synthesis of these phosphodiesters was also catalyzed by chicken embryo fibroblast membranes and solubilized rat liver plasma membranes but not by rat heart plasma membrane preparations. Formation of significant amounts of these phosphodiesters required relatively high concentrations of the alcohols (greater than 1 M). The alcohol concentration dependence did not exhibit substrate saturation at physiologically meaningful concentrations of glycerol or methacol. It is proposed that either the alcohols examined were not the natural substrates for this enzyme or that the alcohol/AMP phosphodiesters were formed as a result of trapping of an enzyme/nucleotide intermediate. Adenosine 5'-phosphoroglycerol formation was inhibited approximately 50% by 15 mM NaF. Epinephrine, norepinephrine, glucagon, and prostaglandin E1 were without effect. Alloxan, an inhibitor of adenylate cyclase did not inhibit formation of adenosine 5'-phosphoroglycerol. It is concluded that adenylate cyclase was not responsible for formation of these phosphodiesters. The physiological significance of this reaction remains undefined.