Cytidine 5'-triphosphate (CTP) is a pyrimidine nucleoside triphosphate that is involved in a variety of biochemical reactions. It is used in the synthesis of RNA by RNA polymerases. In the formation of phosphatidylcholine (PC), CTP reacts with phosphocholine, via CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferases, to produce CDP-choline and diphosphate.1,2 This is the rate-limiting step in PC synthesis and, as a pivotal step in cell proliferation, can be important in cancer.3 CTP also interacts with N-acylneuraminate, in a reaction mediated by N-acylneuraminate cytidylyltransferase, to generate an intermediate that is required for sialylation, namely CMP-N-acylneuraminic acid.4
1.Li, Z., and Vance, D.E.Phosphatidylcholine and choline homeostasisJournal of Lipid Research491187-1194(2008) 2.Lagace, T.A., and Ridgway, N.D.The role of phospholipids in the biological activity and structure of the endoplasmic reticulumBiochim.Biophys.Acta.18332499-2510(2013) 3.Arsenault, D.J., Yoo, B.H., Rosen, K.V., et al.ras-Induced up-regulation of CTP:phosphocholine cytidyltransferase a contributes to malignant transformation of intestinal epithelial cellsThe Journal of Biological Chemisty288(1)633-643(2013) 4.Vionnet, J., Concepcion, N., Warner, T., et al.Purification of CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase from bovine anterior pituitary glandsGlycobiology9(5)481-487(1999)