Lysophosphatidylcholine Acyltransferase 3 (LPCAT3)

The deduced 487-amino acid human and mouse MBOAT5 proteins contain 11 predicted transmembrane domains and share 88% amino acid identity. Human MBOAT5 shares 35% amino acid identity with Drosophila nessy.The deduced protein contains 10 putative transmembrane domains and a C-terminal endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention motif (KKxx). RT-PCR detected ubiquitous Lpcat3 expression, with highest level in testis. Lpcat3 colocalized with an ER marker protein in transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Knockdown of Lpcat3 in mouse melanoma cells with small interfering RNA significantly reduced cellular acyltransferase activity toward endogenous lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, and lysophosphatidylserine.