PCYT2 Proteins and Enzymes

ECT (ethanolamine phosphate cytidyltransferase) is an important regulatory enzyme in the pathway for phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) biosynthesis. PE functions in cell signalling, membrane fusion, platelet activation, and cell cycle progression. Specialized forms of PE exist as plasmologens, natural cannabinoid anadimade, and glycosylated PE. The ECT enzyme acts in the second of three catalysis steps to produce CDP-ethanolamine from phosphoethanolamine (P-Etn). Study of ECT could help determine the role of plasmologens in disease, specifically lipid disorders such as peroxisomal diseases as well as neuronal degeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease.