Biomaterial Database

Metabolism of farnesol: phosphorylation of farnesol by rat liver microsomal and peroxisomal fractions. 1997

D Westfall, and N Aboushadi, and J E Shackelford, and S K Krisans

Department of Biology and Molecular Biology Institute, San Diego State University, California 92182, USA.

In this study we provide evidence for the first time that rat liver microsomal and peroxisomal fractions are able to phosphorylate free farnesol to its diphosphate ester in a CTP dependent manner. The farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) kinase activity is decreased in whole liver homogenates obtained from rats treated with cholesterol and unchanged in homogenates obtained from rats treated with cholestyramine. In contrast, farnesyl pyrophosphatase (FPPase) activity, an enzyme which specifically hydrolyzes FPP to farnesol is only found in the microsomal fraction and is unaffected by treatment of rats with cholesterol or cholestyramine. In addition, we also demonstrate that farnesol can be oxidized to a prenyl aldehyde, presumably by an alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and that this activity resides in the mitochondrial and peroxisomal fractions.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008830	Microbodies	Electron-dense cytoplasmic particles bounded by a single membrane, such as PEROXISOMES; GLYOXYSOMES; and glycosomes.	Glycosomes,Glycosome,Microbody
D008862	Microsomes, Liver	Closed vesicles of fragmented endoplasmic reticulum created when liver cells or tissue are disrupted by homogenization. They may be smooth or rough.	Liver Microsomes,Liver Microsome,Microsome, Liver
D010766	Phosphorylation	The introduction of a phosphoryl group into a compound through the formation of an ester bond between the compound and a phosphorus moiety.	Phosphorylations
D011106	Polyisoprenyl Phosphates	Phosphoric or pyrophosphoric acid esters of polyisoprenoids.	Isoprenoid Phosphates,Terpene Phosphates,Phosphates, Isoprenoid,Phosphates, Polyisoprenyl,Phosphates, Terpene
D011755	Pyrophosphatases	A group of enzymes within the class EC 3.6.1.- that catalyze the hydrolysis of diphosphate bonds, chiefly in nucleoside di- and triphosphates. They may liberate either a mono- or diphosphate. EC 3.6.1.-.	Pyrophosphatase
D002458	Cell Fractionation	Techniques to partition various components of the cell into SUBCELLULAR FRACTIONS.	Cell Fractionations,Fractionation, Cell,Fractionations, Cell
D002784	Cholesterol	The principal sterol of all higher animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils.	Epicholesterol
D002791	Cholesterol, Dietary	Cholesterol present in food, especially in animal products.	Dietary Cholesterol
D005204	Farnesol	A colorless liquid extracted from oils of plants such as citronella, neroli, cyclamen, and tuberose. It is an intermediate step in the biological synthesis of cholesterol from mevalonic acid in vertebrates. It has a delicate odor and is used in perfumery. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 5th ed)