Isolation of somatic cell mutants defective in the biosynthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine.

An in situ autoradiographic assay for CDP-ethanolamine:1,2-sn-diacylglycerol ethanolamine phosphotransferase (EC 2.7.8.1) activity in Chinese hamster ovary cells was developed and used to screen approximately 10,000 individual mutagen-treated colonies attached to filter paper (Esko, J. D., and Raetz, C. R. H. (1978) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 75, 1190-1193). A variant (strain 40.11) was isolated in which the ethanolamine phosphotransferase specific activity in vitro was 6-10-fold less than in the parent, but the level of CDP-choline:1,2-sn-diacylglycerol choline phosphotransferase (EC 2.7.8.2) activity was normal. In extracts, the mutant was also defective in the synthesis of ethanolamine plasmalogen. In vivo, the short term kinetics of labeling with [32P]phosphate or [14C]ethanolamine was correspondingly altered. However, the long tem growth rate and steady state phospholipid compositions of the mutant and parent were quite similar. These results show that the ethanolamine and choline phosphotransferases of Chinese hamster ovary cells are distinct as judged by genetic criteria, while the biosynthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine and its plasmalogen share common enzymatic component(s).