Phospholipase D (,
lipophosphodiesterase II,
lecithinase D,
choline phosphatase) (
PLD) is an
enzyme of the
phospholipase superfamily. Phospholipases are widely occurring, and can be found in a wide range of organisms, including bacteria, yeast, plants, animals, and viruses. Phospholipase D’s principal
substrate is
phosphatidylcholine, which it
hydrolyzes to produce the
signal molecule
phosphatidic acid (PA), and
soluble choline. Plants contain numerous genes that encode various PLD
isoenzymes, with
molecular weights ranging from 90-125
kDa. Mammalian cells encode two isoforms of phospholipase D:
PLD1 and
PLD2. Phospholipase D is an important player in many
physiological processes, including
membrane trafficking,
cytoskeletal reorganization,
receptor-mediated endocytosis,
exocytosis, and
cell migration. Through these processes, it has been further implicated in the
pathophysiology of multiple
diseases: in particular the progression of
Parkinson’s and
Alzheimer’s, as well as various
cancers.