The Effects of Copper and EDTA on the Autoxidation of Phospholipid Emulsions

Phosphatidyl ethanolamine and lecithin dispersed in water rapidly absorbed oxygen. The autoxidation was promoted with copper and inhibited with EDTA. Phosphatidyl ethanolamine was more sensitive both to copper and EDTA than lecithin. Their peroxide decomposition under the deaerated condition was promoted with copper and inhibited with EDTA. The copper-catalyzed O₂ uptake of phosphatidyl ethanolamine was lowered, when its peroxide was decreased. Thus, the mechanism of promoting the oxidation with copper may be explained as catalytic supply of initiator radicals from the peroxides by copper.     

Identification, Purification, and Characterization of Iminodiacetate Oxidase from the EDTA-Degrading Bacterium BNC1

Microbial degradation of synthetic chelating agents, such as EDTA and nitrilotriacetate (NTA), may help immobilizing radionuclides and heavy metals in the environment. The EDTA- and NTA-degrading bacterium BNC1 uses EDTA monooxygenase to oxidize NTA to iminodiacetate (IDA) and EDTA to ethylenediaminediacetate (EDDA). IDA- and EDDA-degrading enzymes have not been purified and characterized to date. In this report, an IDA oxidase was purified to apparent homogeneity from strain BNC1 by using a combination of eight purification steps. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a single protein band of 40 kDa, and by using size exclusion chromatography, we estimated the native enzyme to be a homodimer. Flavin adenine dinucleotide was determined as its prosthetic group. The purified enzyme oxidized IDA to glycine and glyoxylate with the consumption of O₂. The temperature and pH optima for IDA oxidation were 35°C and 8, respectively. The apparent K_m for IDA was 4.0 mM with a k_cat of 5.3 s⁻¹. When the N-terminal amino acid sequence was determined, it matched exactly with that encoded by a previously sequenced hypothetical oxidase gene of BNC1. The gene was expressed in Escherichia coli, and the gene product as a C-terminal fusion with a His tag was purified by a one-step nickel affinity chromatography. The purified fusion protein had essentially the same enzymatic activity and properties as the native IDA oxidase. IDA oxidase also oxidized EDDA to ethylenediamine and glyoxylate. Thus, IDA oxidase is likely the second enzyme in both NTA and EDTA degradation pathways in strain BNC1.     

Lipids of Chlamydomonas reinhardi under different growth conditions

Photo-, mixo- and heterotrophically grown cultures of Chlamydomonas reinhardi (wild type ss and 2 streptomycin-resistant mutants sr₃ and sr₃₅) have been analyzed for lipids and fatty acids. Ether-soluble lipids, chlorophyll, monogalactosyl diglyceride, digalactosyl diglyceride, sulfolipid, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl glycerol and the relative amounts of fatty acids in total and individual lipids have been determined. The lipid and fatty acid compositions are very similar in the 3 strains and are not affected by the mutations. Fatty acids belong exclusively to the C₁₆ and C₁₈ series, 16:0, 16:4, 18:1, 18:2, 18:3 (6,9,12) and 18:3 (9,12,15) comprising about 90% of the total. 18:3 (6,9,12) is concentrated in phosphatidyl ethanolamine. In streptomycin-bleached sr₃ cells, ether-soluble lipids increase from 7 to 11% of dry weight on greening, mostly due to synthesis of monogalactosyl diglyceride and chlorophyll. Monogalactosyl diglyceride of bleached cells exhibits the same fatty acid pattern before and after greening.     

Gibberellin modulation of phosphatidyl-choline turnover in wheat aleurone tissue

Phosphatidyl choline (PC) is synthesised in wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Flanders) aleurone tissue during early germination when new endomembranes are being formed. Although gibberellic acid does not ostensibly affect PC levels, it inhibits the incorporation of choline and differentially and specifically modulates the turnover of the N-methyl and methylene carbons of the choline headgroup of PC. Gibberellic acid has no effect on turnover of the phosphate moiety of either PC or the other major phosphatides. The possible biological importance of the findings is discussed.Abbreviations ER endoplasmic reticulum - GA gibberellin - GA₃ gibberellic acid - PA phosphatidic acid - PC phosphatidyl choline - PE phosphatidyl ethanolamine - PG phosphatidyl glycerol - PI phosphatidyl inositol - t_1/2 half-life     

Die Lipide von Endomycopsis vernalis bei verschiedener Stickstoff-Ernährung

1. Endomycopsis vernalis was cultivated on media with different N supply: series A 1%, series B 0,125% asparagine. Sonified cells were extracted and yielded 14.3% (A) and 65.3 (B) total lipids/non lipid dry matter respectively.
2. Neutral and complex lipids were separated by rubber membrane dialysis. There is no difference in the percentage of complex lipids of both series. The increase of lipids in cells grown on low N level is due to a higher content of neutral lipids.
3. Components of the neutral lipids, analysed by DC, were diglycerides, triglycerides, free and esterified ergosterol. Their percentage is influenced by the nutritional conditions. There is a significant increase of triglycerides and of sterol esters in the high lipid cells of series B.
4. Methyl esters of component fatty acids of glycerides and sterol esters were analyzed by GLC. Saturated acids C₁₄, C₁₅, C₁₆, C₁₇, C₁₈, monoenic acids C₁₆ and C₁₈, linoleic and linolenic acids were found to be present. Major acids were in all cases 18:1 (17–57%), 18:2 (18–50%) and 16:0 (10–18%). Linolenic acid is higher in di-and triglycerides of low lipid cells of series A than in high lipid cells of series B. Both qualitative and quantitative differences of fatty acids were found in sterol esters of series A and B respectively.
5. The major components of complex lipids, identified by DC and isolated by CC, in both series, were phosphatidyl choline (A:36.5, B:41.0%) and phosphatidyl ethanolamine (A:24.9, B:20.5%) in addition to small amounts of lysophosphatidyl choline, lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl serine, monophosphoinositide, diphosphatidyl glycerol and, possibly cerebroside like substances.
6. Methyl esters of the fatty acids of phosphatidyl choline and ethanolamine from both series were determined by GLC. In all samples 16:0, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2 and 18:3 acids were present besides of traces of 16:1 and 17:0. In contrast to neutral lipids the major acid of phospholipids is linoleic (53–58%), followed by oleic (8–24%) and linolenic acid (1–18%). The percentages of palmitic (4–8%) and stearic acids (tr.-1%) are small. Low lipid cells of series A differ from high lipid cells of series B by an increase of linolenic, and a decrease of linoleic acids, both in phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine.

     

Phosphatidyl inositol-specific phospholipase C from Clostridium novyi type A

From the culture broth of Clostridium novyi type A, phosphatidyl inositol-specific phospholipase C was separated from the major part of phospholipase C (γ-toxin) which hydrolyzes phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, and sphingomyelin. Sodium deoxycholate stimulated the activity of phosphatidyl inositol phospholipase C. The concentration of sodium deoxycholate for maximal stimulation was 0.2% with 2 mm phosphatidyl inositol. Divalent cations (Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, and Zn²⁺) were rather inhibitory above 10^?3m. Phosphatidyl inositol phospholipase C was not inhibited by EDTA or o-phenanthroline. When phosphatidyl inositol phospholipase C was incubated with rat liver slices, not only alkaline phosphatase but also 5′-nucleotidase was liberated into the soluble fraction.     

Complex lipids of Rhodomicrobium vannielii

Eight components, seven of which contained phosphorus, were found in the phospholipid fraction of Rhodomicrobium vannielii. The major components were lipoamino acid (o-ornithine ester of phosphatidyl glycerol, 46.5%) and phosphatidyl choline (26.5%). The other six components were phosphatidyl glycerol (9.7%), bisphosphatidic acid (6.7%), phosphatidyl ethanolamine (4.5%), phosphatidic acid (1.8%), lysophosphatidyl glycerol-o-ornithine ester (3.2%), and N,N-ornithine amide of unidentified fatty acid (0.95%). Total phospholipid accounted for 4.2% of cell dry weight. The major fatty acid was vaccenic acid, C_18:1, which accounted for approximately 90% of the total fatty acids of the complex lipid fraction. The other four fatty acids were C_16:0 (6.25%), C_18:0 (3.8%), C_14:0 (0.7%), and C_16:1 (0.35%). The sulfolipid content was 0.01% of the cell dry weight or 0.14 μmoles per g of dried cells, assuming that its fatty acid component is vaccenic acid. No steroids were detected.     

Control of the potassium ion-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase of pig gastric microsomes: effects of lipid environment and the endogenous activator

The K⁺-stimulated ATPase activity associated with the purified gastric microsomes from the pig gastric mucosa can be completely inactivated by treatment with 15% ethanol for 60 s at 37 °C but not at 25 °C. Sequential exposure of the microsomes to 15% ethanol at 25 and 37 °C caused the release of 2.9 and 4.3% of the total membrane phospholipids, respectively, consisting entirely of phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine. The ethanol-treated (37 °C) membrane had high basal (with Mg²⁺ as the only cation in the assay mixture) activity, which was further enhanced during reconstitution with phosphatidyl choline or phosphatidyl ethanolamine. The high basal activities could be reduced to the normal control level by assaying the enzyme in presence of the “activator protein,” partially purified from the soluble supernatant of the pig gastric cells. Phosphatidyl choline was somewhat more effective than phosphatidyl ethanolamine in the restoration of the activity of the ethanol-treated enzyme while phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidyl inositol, and sphingomyelin were without any effect. Synthetic phosphatidyl choline with various fatty acid substitutions were tested for their effectiveness in the restoration of the ethanol-inactivated enzyme. The distearoyl (18:0), dioleoyl (18:1), and dilinoleoyl (18:2) derivatives of phosphatidyl choline were almost equally effective while dipalmitoyl (16:0) phosphatidyl choline was somewhat less effective in the reconstitution process. Cholesterol appeared to interfere with phosphatidyl choline in the restoration of the activity of ethanol-treated enzyme. The fatty acid composition of phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine extracted by 15% ethanol at 37 °C was clearly different than those of the total microsome. Our data suggest that the phospholipids extracted by 15% ethanol at 37 °C are derived primarily from the immediate lipid environment of the enzyme and ATP together with Mg²⁺ and K⁺ help the partially delipidated enzyme to retain the appropriate conformation for the subsequent reconstitution. Furthermore, ethanol appears to either release or inactivate the membrane-associated activator protein, demonstrated to be essential for the K⁺-stimulated activity of the pig gastric ATPase.     

Effects of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) on the phospholipid metabolism of Tetrahymena pyriformis

The effect of (0·05 ng ml⁻¹ and 0·1 ng ml⁻¹) TNFα on the phospholipid metabolism of Tetrahymena pyriformis was studied. The amount of phosphatidyl choline (PC), phosphatidyl inositol (PI), phosphatidic acid (PA), phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE), diacylglycerol (DAG), arachidonic acid (AA) and ceramide was higher, but the phosphatidyl inositol 4 phosphate (PIP) and phosphatidyl inositol bis-phosphate (PIP₂) as well, as sphingomyelin (SM) content was lower in TNFα-treated cells than in the controls. In the culture medium (secreted forms) this situation was reversed. There were differences in the results gained by incorporation of [³H]-palmitic acid or ³²P into the phospholipids. To control the functional effects of TNFα in Tetrahymena, the rate of cell division, the condensation of chromatin, the viability of cells and morphometrical values have been studied. The cytokine reduced cell growth, altered morphometric indices and increased chromatin condensation, however cell viability was not influenced. The results demonstrate the effects of TNFα at a low level of evolution, what is realized by changes in the phospolipid metabolism participating in signalling pathways. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and evaluation of phosphopeptides containing iminodiacetate groups as binding ligands of the Src SH2 domain

Phosphopeptide pTyr-Glu-Glu-Ile (pYEEI) has been introduced as an optimal Src SH2 domain ligand. Peptides, Ac-K(IDA)pYEEIEK(IDA) (1), Ac-KpYEEIEK (2), Ac-K(IDA)pYEEIEK (3), and Ac-KpYEEIEK(IDA) (4), containing 0–2 iminodiacetate (IDA) groups at the N- and C-terminal lysine residues were synthesized and evaluated as the Src SH2 domain binding ligands. Fluorescence polarization assays showed that peptide 1 had a higher binding affinity (K_d = 0.6 μM) to the Src SH2 domain when compared with Ac-pYEEI (K_d = 1.7 μM), an optimal Src SH2 domain ligand, and peptides 2–4 (K_d = 2.9–52.7 μM). The binding affinity of peptide 1 to the SH2 domain was reduced by more than 2-fold (K_d = 1.6 μM) upon addition of Ni²⁺ (300 μM), possibly due to modest structural effect of Ni²⁺ on the protein as shown by circular dichroism experimental results. The binding affinity of 1 was restored in the presence of EDTA (300 μM) (K_d = 0.79 μM). These studies suggest that peptides containing IDA groups may be used for designing novel SH2 domain binding ligands.     

Frost-induced phospholipid changes in cold-acclimated and non-acclimated rape leaves

Freezing and thawing of winter rape leaves was found to cause a marked decrease of total phospholipid content in general, and that of phosphatidyl choline in particular. In the highly injured leaves the decrease of phosphatidyl choline was irreversible, and it was accompanied by a marked increase of phosphatidic acid. In the slightly damaged leaves no phosphatidic acid accumulation was detected, irrespective of phosphatidyl choline decrease. Instead of phosphatidic acid, the phosphatidyl glycerol or an unidentified P-containing lipid increased after thawing in leaves hardened to the first (T_k50=?8°C) or to the second (T_k50=?13.5°C) level, respectively. Frost hardening was found to promote phospholipid recovery after freezing and to increase phospholipid content, including that of phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine. Possible association of frost hardening with modified phospholipase-D properties is suggested.     

Hypervitaminosis A and Liver Phospholipids

Effect of daily oral feeding of 33 mg retinol for nine days on the liver phospholipids of rats has been studied. As early as two days after feeding retinol an increase in the amounts of liver triglycerides, proteins, phospholipids, and cholesterol was noted which kept increasing and reached the peak concentration 6 days after daily retinol feeding and thereafter a decrease in their amounts was noted. Hepatic phospholipid fractions viz. phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidic acid and polyglycerol phosphatide, phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl serine, sphingomyelin, lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine and lysophos- phatidyl choline showed the same pattern. Labelling of these phospholipids with NaH₂³²PO₄ in rats fed daily 33 mg of retinol for a period of two days also exhibited the pattern which was observed in their amounts two days after daily feeding of retinol. The results suggest a close relationship between the metabolism of hepatic triglycerides and phospholipids of rats fed excessive amounts of retinol.     

Comparative effect of calcium and EDTA on arsenic uptake and physiological attributes of Pisum sativum

In this study, we determined the effect of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and calcium (Ca) on arsenic (As) uptake and toxicity to Pisum sativum. Plants were treated with three levels of As (25, 125, and 250 µM) in the presence and absence of three levels of Ca (1, 5, and 10 mM) and EDTA (25, 125, and 250 µM). Exposure to As caused an overproduction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in roots and leaves, which induced lipid peroxidation and decreased pigment contents. Application of both Ca and EDTA significantly reduced As accumulation by pea, Ca being more effective in reducing As accumulation. Both Ca and EDTA enhanced As-induced H₂O₂ production, but reduced lipid peroxidation. In the case of pigment contents, EDTA significantly reduced pigment contents, whereas Ca significantly enhanced pigment contents compared to As alone. The effect of As treatment in the presence and absence of EDTA and Ca was more pronounced in younger leaves compared to older leaves. The effect of amendments varied greatly with their applied levels, as well as type and age of plant organs. Importantly, due to possible precipitation of Ca-As compounds, the soils with higher levels of Ca ions are likely to be less prone to food chain contamination.     

The role of phospholipases from inflammatory macrophages in demyelination

Activated macrophages harvested from rat peritoneum were shown to contain phospholipase A₁, A₂ and lysophospholipase activities which were defined on a series of radiolabelled phospholipid substrates. During in vitro culture of these elicited macrophage populations, phospholipase enzymes were secreted into the culture medium. Radiolabelled myelin, prepared from young rats after intracerebral injection of¹⁴C acetate, was used as a substrate to analyze the susceptibility of central nervous system (CNS) myelin to attack by cell-associated and secreted macrophage enzymes. Homogenates of peritoneal macrophages degraded the myelin lipids at acid pH; phosphatidyl choline (PC) and ethanolamine phosphatide (EP) were both degraded with liberation of free fatty acid and small amounts of lysolipids. The ethanolamine lipids were most vulnerable; up to 20% of this fraction was degraded in six hours. Selected batches of macrophage culture supernatant similarly degraded the myelin EP at acid pH. These results suggest that phospholipase enzymes, released from activated macrophages in close proximity to the myelin sheath, may participate in primary demyelination in inflammatory CNS lesions.     

Isolation and characterization of plamsa membrane from monolayer cultures of epitherlial type II lung cells.

Pneumocyte type II produces a phospholipid, dipalmitoyl lecithin, which is stored in and secreted from the cell's inclusion bodies and is indispensable for alveolar stability. Cloned rat lung type II cells were harvested at monolayer confluence and homogenized in swelling buffer. After sequential differential centrifugations, the crude membrane fraction was subjected to discontinuous sucrose density gradient centrifugation at 65,000 × g. Quality of the relevant fractions was monitored by enzyme activities and phase contrast and electron microscopy of two major bands at densities 1.16 and 1.18, respectively. The less dense band contained only small quantities of organelles, little cytochrome c oxidase, and some glucose 6-phosphatase, but had a significant (Na⁺, K⁺)-ATPase activity; this and ultrastructural evidence certified the product as a suitable plasma membrane preparation. Upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-poly acrylamide gel electrophoresis, the protein pattern consisted of 11 major protein bands between 13,000 and 68,000 M_r ranges, and several minor ones. The lipid pattern was studied by two-dimensional thin layer chromatograpy, followed by various group reactions (e.g., amine, unsaturation, phosphorus, sugars). In the two major phospholipids, phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine, palmitic acid was the least abundant of four major fatty acids, accounting for 14.20% in phosphatidyl choline and 5.70% in phosphatidyl ethanolamine, whereas the most abundant were stearic and palmitoleic with about 28% each in phosphatidyl choline, and palmitoleic (29.90%) and oleic (23.05%) in the ethanolamine phosphatide. Apparently, the palmitic acid containing phosphatidyl choline must be in the lamellar inclusion bodies of type II cells and not in their plasma membranes.     

Turnover of Phospholipids in Normal and Phosphorus-deficient Spirodela

When ³²P₁ was supplied as a 15-minute pulse to normal Spirodela oligorrhiza plants, the first phospholipid to become fully labeled was phosphatidic acid. Phosphatidyl glycerol reached maximum labeling before the other major phospholipids. In phosphorus-deficient plants, however, phosphatidyl glycerol became labeled much more slowly than either phosphatidyl choline or phosphatidyl ethanolamine, and also the proportion of phosphatidyl glycerol present was smaller. Thus, phosphatidyl glycerol synthesis is sensitive to phosphorus deficiency. Since most of the phosphatidyl glycerol present in Spirodela was localized in the chloroplast, this effect appeared to be specifically one on chloroplast composition. The phosphorus-deficient chloroplast had a 60% lower phospholipid content and a normal phospholipid pattern, but the phospholipid which was present was apparently cycling much less rapidly. Zeatin, which ameliorates the visual symptoms of phosphorus deficiency, also reduces the effect of phosphorus deficiency on phospholipid synthesis.     

Isolation and characterization of phospholipase A2, from Agkistrodon bilineatus (common cantil) venom

• 1.1. Phospholipase A₂ was isolated from Agkistrodon bilineatus venom by Sephadex G-75 and CM-Cellulose column chromatographies.
• 2.2. The purified phospholipase A₂-I gave a single band on disc polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
• 3.3. The enzyme preparation had a molecular weight of 14,000, isoelectric point of pH 8.77 and possessed 123 amino acid residues.
• 4.4. The purified phospholipase A₂ possessed lethal, indirect hemolytic and anticoagulant activities.
• 5.5. The enzyme hydrolyzed the phospholipids phosphatidyl choline (PC), phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE), phosphatidyl inositol (PI) and phosphatidyl serine (PS).
• 6.6. The concentration of mouse diaphragm was inhibited and the contraction of guinea pig left atrium was increased by phospholipase A₂-I.
• 7.7. Phospholipase A₂ activity of this preparation was inhibited by ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, p-bromo phenacyl bromide, n-bromo succinimide or dithiothreitol, but not by diisopropyl fluorophosphate or benzamidine.

     

Tissue distribution of EDTA encapsulated within liposomes containing glycolipids or brain phospholipids

Multilamellar liposomes were prepared with various asialoglycolipids, gangliosides, sialic acid, or brain phospholipids in the liposome membrane and with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) encapsulated in the aqueous compartments. The liposomes containing glycolipids or sialic acid were prepared from a mixture of phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol, and one of the following test substances: galactocerebroside, glucocerebroside, galactocerebroside sulfate, mixed gangliosides, monosialoganglioside G_M1, monosialoganglioside G_M2, monosialoganglioside G_M3, disialoganglioside G_D1a, or sialic acid. The liposomes containing brain phospholipids were mixtures of either sphingomyelin and cholesterol or a brain total phospholipid extract and cholesterol. Distribution of ¹⁴C-labeled EDTA were determined in mouse tissues from 15 min to 6 h or 12 h after a single injection of liposome prepartion. Liver uptake of encapsulated EDTA was lowest from all liposome preparations containing sialic acid or sialogangliosides regardless of the amount of sialic acid moiety present or the identity of the particular ganglioside; highest uptake of encapsulated EDTA by liver was from the liposomes containing galactocerebroside or brain phospholipids. Lungs and brain took up the largest amounts of EDTA from liposomes containing sphingomyelin and lesser amounts from liposomes containing G_D1a. Use of mouse brain phospholipid extract to prepare liposomes did not increase uptake of encapsulated EDTA by the brain. EDTA in liposomes containing monosialogangliosides, brain phospholipids, galactocerebroside, or sialic acid was taken up well by spleen and marrow. Highest thymus uptake of encapsulated EDTA was from liposomes containing G_D1a. These results demonstrate that inclusion of sialogangliosides in liposome membranes decreases uptake of liposomes by liver, thus making direction of encapsulated drugs to other organs more feasible. Liposomes containing glycolipids also have potential uses as probes of cell surface receptors.     

Effects of choline and ethanolamine on the synthesis and breakdown of the inositol phospholipid (PI) system in Tetrahymena

Lower concentrations of choline chloride and ethanolamine (10^?3 M ; 10^?5 M ) increased phosphatidyl inositol (PI), phosphatidyl inositol monophosphate (PIP) and phosphatidyl inositol bisphosphate (PIP₂) level of Tetrahymena, while higher concentrations (10^?2 M ) decreased them. These two substances also influenced, however in a less obvious way, the transformation of inositol phospholipids. The experiments draw attention to the sensitivity of the precursors of the second messenger system at a phylogenetically low level.     

Phospholipase activity in rat liver mitochondria studied by the use of endogenous substrates

The hydrolysis of endogenous phosphatidyl ethanolamine and lecithin in rat liver mitochondria has been studied by using mitochondria from rats injected with ethanolamine-1,2-(14)C or choline-1,2-(14)C. A phospholipase A-like enzyme has been demonstrated, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of one fatty acid ester linkage in phosphatidyl ethanolamine and lecithin. Phosphatidyl ethanolamine is hydrolyzed in preference to lecithin and the main reaction products are free fatty acids and lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine. The further breakdown of lysophospholipids appears to be limited in mitochondria, which indicates that lysophospholipase activity is mainly located extramitochondrially. The enzymic system is greatly stimulated by calcium ions, and also slightly by magnesium ions, while EDTA inhibits it almost completely. These findings are discussed in relation to previous observations on the effect of calcium and of EDTA on the functions of mitochondria. The possible function of the mitochondrial phospholipase for the formation of phospholipids with special fatty acids at the alpha- and -position is discussed.