The enormous versatility of phosphatidylinositol as a mediator of intracellular signalling is due to its variable phosphorylation on every combination of the 3′, 4′ and 5′ positions, as well as an even more complex range of phosphorylated products when inositol phosphate is released by phospholipase C activity. The phosphoinositides are produced by distinct enzymes in distinct intracellular membranes, and recruit and regulate downstream signalling proteins containing binding domains [PH (pleckstrin homology), PX (Phox homology), FYVE etc.] that are relatively specific for these lipids. Specific recruitment of downstream proteins presumably involves a coincidence detection mechanism, in which a combination of lipid–protein and protein–protein interactions define specificity. Of the seven intrucellular phosphoinositide, quantification of PtdIns5P levels in intact cells has remained difficult. In this issue of the Biochemical Journal, Sarkes and Rameh describe a novel HPLC-based approach which makes possible an analysis of the subcellular distribution of PtdIns5P and other phosphoinositides.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
June 2010
-
Cover Image
Cover Image
- PDF Icon PDF LinkFront Matter
- PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
- PDF Icon PDF LinkEditorial Board
Commentary|
May 27 2010
New methods for capturing the mystery lipid, PtdIns5P
Jonathan M. Backer
Jonathan M. Backer
1
1Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, U.S.A.
1email backer@aecom.yu.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
May 04 2010
Accepted:
May 06 2010
Online ISSN: 1470-8728
Print ISSN: 0264-6021
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2010 Biochemical Society
2010
Biochem J (2010) 428 (3): e1–e2.
Article history
Received:
May 04 2010
Accepted:
May 06 2010
Connected Content
A commentary has been published:
A novel HPLC-based approach makes possible the spatial characterization of cellular PtdIns5P and other phosphoinositides
Citation
Jonathan M. Backer; New methods for capturing the mystery lipid, PtdIns5P. Biochem J 15 June 2010; 428 (3): e1–e2. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BJ20100688
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Captcha Validation Error. Please try again.