Phospholipids

PHOSPHOLIPIDS New Comprehensive Biochemistry Volume 4 General Editors A. NEUBERGER London L.L.M. van DEENEN Utrecht ELSEVIER BIOMEDICAL PRESS AMSTERDAM-NEWYORK-OXFORD Phospholipids Editors J.N. HAWTHORNE and G.B. ANSELL Nottingham and Birmingham 1982 ELSEVIER BIOMEDICAL PRESS AMSTERDAM. NEW YORK*OXFORD 0 Elsevier Biomedical Press, 1982 All rights reserved. N o part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright owner. ISBN for the series: 0444 80303 3 ISBN for the volume: 0444 80427-7 Published by: Elsevier Biomedical Press Molenwerf 1, P.O. Box 1527 1000 BM Amsterdam, The Netherlands Sole distributors for the LI.S.A.and Canada: Elsevier Science Publishing Company Inc. 52 Vanderbilt Avenue New York, NY 10017, U.S.A. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Main entry under title: Phospholipids. (New comprehensive biochemistry; v. 4) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Phospholipids. 2. phospholipids-Metabolism. I. Hawthorne, J.N. (John Nigel) 11. Ansell, G.B. (Gordon Brian) 111. Series. QD41S.N48 VOI.4 574.19'2s [574.19'214] 82-18382 [QP752.P53] ISBN 0-444-80427-7 (U.S.) Printed in The Netherlands To the memory of Maurice Gray (1930-1980), a good friend and dedicated lipid biochemist. This Page Intentionally Left Blank Preface In the general preface to the original series of volumes entitled Comprehensive Biochemistry, Florkin and Stotz stated: “The Editors are keenly aware that the literature of biochemistry is already very large”. Even so, the chemistry of the phospholipids formed only part of Vol. 6 (1965) and the whole of lipid metabolism was covered in Vol. 18 published in 1970, of which only a small part was concerned with phospholipid metabolism. For the present series, therefore, we were charged by the General Editors to produce a volume on phospholipids which was to emphasise metabolic aspects since their structural role in membranes was covered in Vol. 3. We had to ensure coverage of developments in the last decade while, at the same time, summarising essential findings of earlier periods. There are various ways in which the book could have been organised. As will be seen, we finally decided to devote separate chapters to individual or closely related phospholipids in which the essential chemistry is first described followed by an account of the metabolism, due regard being paid to the pioneering work of the past. We have included a chapter on phospholipases in general and one on phospholipase A2 since its structure and the mechanism of its action have been investigated in greater detail than any other phospholipid metabolising enzyme. The increasingly important topic of phospholipid exchange proteins is also treated separately. Furthermore, since the use of biochemically defined mutants shows great promise for the better understanding of phospholipid biosynthesis and function, a chapter has been devoted to genetic control of the enzymes involved. This book is intended for advanced students and research workers and we believe that it gives a comprehensive, though not exhaustive, account of phospholipid biochemistry, Throughout, the reader will discover how advances in techniques have added to our knowledge of the ever-expanding field. Though it is difficult sometimes to avoid the impression that all research work is confined to the liver we hope that key references to other organs and other organisms will enable those whose interest lies outside the peritoneal cavity to be satisfied. If the contents of the book belie the general title of the series, the responsibility lies with the