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sn-Glycerol 1-phosphate is a phosphoric ester of glycerol, which is a component of archea-specific ether lipids. Equally appropriate names in biochemical context include glycero-1-phosphate, 1-O-phosphonoglycerol, and 1-phosphoglycerol. From a historical reason, it is also known as L-glycerol 1-phosphate, D-glycerol 3-phosphate, and D-α-glycerophosphoric acid.
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Biosynthesis and metabolism
Glycerol 1-phosphate is synthesized by reducing dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP), a glycolysis intermediate, with sn-glycerol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase. DHAP and thus glycerol 1-phosphate is also possible to be synthesized from amino acids and citric acid cycle intermediates via glyconeogenesis pathway.
+ NAD(P)H + H+ → + NAD(P)+Glycerol 1-phosphate is a starting material for de novo synthesis of archea-specific ether lipids, such as archaeol and caldarchaeol. It is first geranylgeranylated on its sn-3 position by a cytosolic enzyme, phosphoglycerol geranylgeranyltransferase, and another geranylgeranyl group is then added on the sn-2 position making unsaturated archaetidic acid, which is a key compound for synthesizing archeal lipids.
+ GGPP → geranylgeranylglycerol phosphate + PPiEnantiomer
Organisms other than archea uses the enantiomer, glycerol 3-phosphate. Most biochemical activities distinguish the two compounds.