Glycerol 1-phosphate


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 -glycerol 1-phosphate, -glycerol 3-phosphate, and -α-glycerophosphoric acid.

Biosynthesis and metabolism

Glycerol 1-phosphate is synthesized by reducing dihydroxyacetone phosphate, 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.
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.

Enantiomer

Organisms other than archea uses the enantiomer, glycerol 3-phosphate. Most biochemical activities distinguish the two compounds.