Head-group specificity for feedback regulation of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase.

The specificity of the phospholipid head-group for feedback regulation of CTP: phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase was examined in rat hepatocytes. In choline-deficient cells there is a 2-fold increase in binding of cytidylyltransferase to cellular membranes, compared with choline-supplemented cells. Supplementation of choline-deficient cells with choline, dimethylethanolamine, monomethylethanolamine or ethanolamine resulted in an increase in the concentration of the corresponding phospholipid. Release of cytidylyltransferase into cytosol was only observed in hepatocytes supplemented with choline or dimethylethanolamine. The apparent EC50 values (concn. giving half of maximal effect) for cytidylyltransferase translocation were similar for choline and dimethylethanolamine (25 and 27 microM respectively). The maximum amount of cytidylyltransferase released into cytosol with choline supplementation (1.13 m-units/mg membrane protein) was twice that (0.62) observed with dimethylethanolamine. Supplementation of choline-deficient hepatocytes with NN'-diethylethanolamine, N-ethylethanolamine or 3-aminopropanol also did not cause release of cytidylyltransferase from cellular membranes. The translocation of cytidylyltransferase appeared to be mediated by the concentration of phosphatidylcholine in the membranes and not the ratio of phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylethanolamine. The results provide further evidence for feedback regulation of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis by phosphatidylcholine.