EFFECT OF 3-AMINO-1-PROPANOL ON THE PHOSPHATIDYLINOSITOL (PI) AND GLYCOSYL PHOSPHATIDYLINOSITOL (GPI) SYSTEMS OF TETRAHYMENA

3-Amino-1-propanol (AP), a substance replacing ethanolamine in phospha tidylethanolamine (PE) significantly reduced P-32 incorporation to pho sphatidylinositol (PI) and glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) in the unicellular organism Tetrahymena pyriformis. At 10 mM, AP completely i nhibited the incorporation of P-32 into PI. H-3-arachidonate incorpora tion into PI was also inhibited, while that into diacylglycerol (DAG) was high. The experiments indicate the presence and metabolism of inos itol phospholipids and GPI in T. pyriformis. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.