title: Transmembrane topology of sphingoid long-chain base-1-phosphate phosphatase, Lcb3p.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sphingoid long-chain base-1-phosphates (LCBPs) are thought to act as intracellular signalling molecules in yeast. Lcb3p is a member of the LCBPs-specific phosphatase family (SPP family). Other yeast phosphatases, Lpp1p and Dpp1p, are members of a different lipid phosphatase family (LPP family) known to exhibit broader substrate specificities. Until now, only the membrane topology of mammalian LPP family members has been reported, whereas that of the SPP family has remained unclear.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our in vitro system, Lcb3p displayed major phosphatase activity against dihydrosphingosine-1-phosphate, while Dpp1p and Lpp1p also exhibited activities. Here, we determined that Lpp1p and Dpp1p exhibit the topology common to the LPP family. Moreover, we examined the transmembrane topology of Lcb3p using a C-terminal reporter approach. From our results we deduced a structural model illustrating that Lcb3p has eight membrane-spanning domains with its highly conserved phosphatase motifs positioned within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen. Consistent with this result, Lcb3p collected in low speed pellet fractions was highly resistant to exogenous proteinase K unless the membrane was disrupted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the active site of Lcb3p is located in the ER lumen and, thus, the phosphate group of the LCBP is hydrolysed on the lumenal side.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomembrane and Biofunctional Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 12-jo, Nishi 6-choume, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kihara
authors.forename: Takamitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.forename: Soichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwaki
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Igarashi
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D019286:Endopeptidase K / Q000494:pharmacology; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000201:enzymology*; D006031:Glycosylation; D009154:Mutation; D010711:Phosphatidate Phosphatase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011755:Pyrophosphatases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; C060504:dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate; C110252:LCB3 protein, S cerevisiae; C112948:lipid phosphate phosphatase; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D010711:Phosphatidate Phosphatase; D019286:Endopeptidase K; D011755:Pyrophosphatases; C097892:diacylglycerol pyrophosphate phosphatase; D013110:Sphingosine