Reaction: 1-O-alkyl-sn-glycerol + a 5,6,7,8-tetrahydropteridine + O2 = 1-O-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-sn-glycerol + a 4a-hydroxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropteridine
Other name(s): glyceryl-ether monooxygenase; glyceryl-ether cleaving enzyme; glyceryl ether oxygenase; glyceryl etherase; O-alkylglycerol monooxygenase
Systematic name: 1-alkyl-sn-glycerol,tetrahydrobiopteridine:oxygen oxidoreductase
Comments: The enzyme cleaves alkylglycerols, but does not cleave alkenylglycerols (plasmalogens). Requires non-heme iron [7], reduced glutathione and phospholipids for full activity. The product spontaneously breaks down to form a fatty aldehyde and glycerol. The co-product, 4a-hydroxytetrahydropteridine, is rapidly dehydrated to 6,7-dihydropteridine, either spontaneously or by EC 4.2.1.96, 4a-hydroxytetrahydrobiopterin dehydratase.
Links to other databases: BRENDA, EXPASY, KEGG, MetaCyc, CAS registry number: 37256-82-9
References:
1. Ishibashi, T. and Imai, Y. Solubilization and partial characterization of alkylglycerol monooxygenase from rat liver microsomes. Eur. J. Biochem. 132 (1983) 23-27. [PMID: 6840084]
2. Pfleger, E.C., Piantadosi, C. and Snyder, F. The biocleavage of isomeric glyceryl ethers by soluble liver enzymes in a variety of species. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 144 (1967) 633-648. [PMID: 4383918]
3. Snyder, F., Malone, B. and Piantadosi, C. Tetrahydropteridine-dependent cleavage enzyme for O-alkyl lipids: substrate specificity. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 316 (1973) 259-265. [PMID: 4355017]
4. Soodsma, J.F., Piantadosi, C. and Snyder, F. Partial characterization of the alkylglycerol cleavage enzyme system of rat liver. J. Biol. Chem. 247 (1972) 3923-3929. [PMID: 4402391]
5. Tietz, A., Lindberg, M. and Kennedy, E.P. A new pteridine-requiring enzyme system for the oxidation of glyceryl ethers. J. Biol. Chem. 239 (1964) 4081-4090. [PMID: 14247652]
6. Taguchi, H. and Armarego, W.L. Glyceryl-ether monooxygenase [EC 1.14.16.5]. A microsomal enzyme of ether lipid metabolism. Med. Res. Rev. 18 (1998) 43-89. [PMID: 9436181]
7. Watschinger, K., Keller, M.A., Hermetter, A., Golderer, G., Werner-Felmayer, G. and Werner, E.R. Glyceryl ether monooxygenase resembles aromatic amino acid hydroxylases in metal ion and tetrahydrobiopterin dependence. Biol. Chem. 390 (2009) 3-10. [PMID: 19007315]
8. Werner, E.R., Hermetter, A., Prast, H., Golderer, G. and Werner-Felmayer, G. Widespread occurrence of glyceryl ether monooxygenase activity in rat tissues detected by a novel assay. J. Lipid Res. 48 (2007) 1422-1427. [PMID: 17303893]