Reaction: phosphatidylcholine + H2O = 1-acylglycerophosphocholine + a carboxylate
Other name(s): lecithinase A; phosphatidase; phosphatidolipase; phospholipase A
Systematic name: phosphatidylcholine 2-acylhydrolase
Comments: Also acts on phosphatidylethanolamine, choline plasmalogen and phosphatides, removing the fatty acid attached to the 2-position. Requires Ca2+.
Links to other databases: BRENDA, EXPASY, KEGG, Metacyc, PDB, CAS registry number: 9001-84-7
References:
1. Doery, H.M. and Pearson, J.E. Haemolysins in venoms of Australian snakes. Observations on the haemolysins of the venoms of some Australian snakes and the separation of phospholipase A from the venom of Pseudechis porphyriacus. Biochem. J. 78 (1961) 820-827.
2. Fraenkel-Conrat, H. and Fraenkel-Conrat, J. Inactivation of crotoxin by group-specific reagents. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 5 (1950) 98-104.
3. Hanahan, D.J., Brockerhoff, H. and Barron, E.J. The site of attack of phospholipase (lecithinase) A on lecithin: a re-evaluation. Position of fatty acids on lecithins and triglycerides. J. Biol. Chem. 235 (1960) 1917-1923.
4. Moore, J.H. and Williams, D.L. Some observations on the specificity of phospholipase A. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 84 (1964) 41-54.
5. Saito, K. and Hanahan, D.J. A study of the purification and properties of the phospholipase A of Crotalus adamanteus venom. Biochemistry 1 (1962) 521-532.
6. van den Bosch, H. Intracellular phospholipases A. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 604 (1980) 191-246. [PMID: 6252969]