Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Sci. Signal., 14 August 2012
Vol. 5, Issue 237, p. ec216
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.2003497]

EDITORS' CHOICE

Biochemistry Phosphoinositide Contributions

L. Bryan Ray

Science, Science Signaling, AAAS, Washington, DC 20005, USA

To study the roles of phosphoinositides in the plasma membrane of mammalian cells, Hammond et al. (see the Perspective by Fairn and Grinstein) engineered phosphatase molecules that could be targeted to the membrane on demand, where they would alter the concentrations of the phospholipids phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] and phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P). PI4P was thought to provide a major source for the synthesis of PI(4,5)P2, but depletion of PI4P did not have much effect on synthesis of PI(4,5)P2. Instead, PI4P appears to help to establish the negative charge at the membrane and thus promote electrostatic interactions with positively charged amino acids in membrane-associated proteins and influencing function of ion channels.

G. R. V. Hammond, M. J. Fischer, K. E. Anderson, J. Holdich, A. Koteci, T. Balla, R. F. Irvine, PI4P and PI(4,5)P2 are essential but independent lipid determinants of membrane identity. Science 337, 727–730 (2012). [Abstract] [Full Text]

G. D. Fairn, S. Grinstein, Precursor or charge supplier? Science 337, 653–654 (2012). [Abstract] [Full Text]

Citation: L. B. Ray, Phosphoinositide Contributions. Sci. Signal. 5, ec216 (2012).

To Advertise     Find Products

Science Signaling. ISSN 1937-9145 (online), 1945-0877 (print). Pre-2008: Science's STKE. ISSN 1525-8882