Phosphocholine Explained

Phosphocholine should not be confused with phosphatidylcholine.

Phosphocholine is an intermediate in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine in tissues. Phosphocholine is made in a reaction, catalyzed by choline kinase, that converts ATP and choline into phosphocholine and ADP. Phosphocholine is a molecule found, for example, in lecithin.

In nematodes and human placentas, phosphocholine is selectively attached to other proteins as a posttranslational modification to suppress an immune response by their hosts.^{[1] [2]}

It is also one of the binding targets of C-reactive protein (CRP).^[3] Thus, when a cell is damaged, CRP binds to phosphocholine, beginning the recognition and phagocytotic immunologic response.

Phosphocholine is a natural constituent of hens' eggs (and many other eggs) often used in biomimetic membrane studies.^{[4] [5]}

See also

• Alkylphosphocholines
• Choline
• Phosphoethanolamine

External links

• Phosphocholine 3D Structure Viewer

Notes and References

1. Lovell TM, Woods RJ, Butlin DJ, etal . Identification of a novel mammalian post-translational modification, phosphocholine, on placental secretory polypeptides . Journal of Molecular Endocrinology. 39 . 3 . 189–98 . September 2007 . 17766644 . 2189575 . 10.1677/JME-07-0007 .
2. News: Placenta 'fools body's defences' . BBC News . 2007-11-10 . 2010-05-22.
3. Thompson D, Pepys MB, Wood SP . The physiological structure of human C-reactive protein and its complex with phosphocholine.. Structure . 7. 2. 169–77. 1999. 10368284. 10.1016/S0969-2126(99)80023-9. free.
4. Rose L, Jenkins AT . The effect of the ionophore valinomycin on biomimetic solid supported lipid DPPTE/EPC membranes . Bioelectrochemistry. 2006 . 70 . 2 . 387–93 . 16875886 . 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2006.05.009.
5. Pambou. Elias. Crewe. John. Yaseen. Mohammed. Padia. Faheem N.. Rogers. Sarah. Wang. Dong. Xu. Hai. Lu. Jian R.. 2015-09-15. Structural Features of Micelles of Zwitterionic Dodecyl-phosphocholine (C12PC) Surfactants Studied by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering. Langmuir. 31. 36. 9781–9789. 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b02077. 26301341. 0743-7463.