Crystal Structure of Autotaxin, a Lysophospholipase D that Produces Lipid Mediator Lysophosphatidic Acids

Autotaxin (ATX), also known as Enpp2, is a secreted lysophospholipase D that hydrolyzes lysophosphatidylcholine to generate lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a lipid mediator that activates G-protein coupled receptors to evoke various cellular responses. We solved the crystal structures of mouse ATX alone and in complex with LPAs with different acyl-chain lengths and saturations. The structures reveal a multidomain architecture that may maintain the structure of the hydrophobic pocket, in which the respective LPA molecules are accommodated in distinct conformations. Moreover, our data suggest that the produced LPAs are transferred from the catalytic pocket to cognate receptors through a hydrophobic channel.