THIOESTERIFICATION OF PLATELET PROTEINS WITH SATURATED AND POLYUNSATURATED FATTY-ACIDS

We have demonstrated that more than 20 platelet proteins can be acylat ed with fatty acids via thioester linkages. These include the glycopro tein IX beta chain of glycoprotein Ib, components of the von Willebran d factor receptor on the platelet surface, P-selectin, and alpha subun its of G(z), G(q), and G(i). Our studies have shown that platelet prot eins can be posttranslationally acylated in thioester linkages not onl y with palmitate but with myristate and also with the eicosanoid precu rsor fatty acids arachidonate and eicosapentaenoate. Thioesterificatio n of platelet proteins with fatty acids other than palmitate may have significant functional consequences for reversible binding of proteins to membranes.