Phospholipid scramblases
phospholipid scramblases
Scramblase is a protein responsible for the translocation of phospholipids between the two monolayers of a lipid bilayer of a cell membrane. In humans, phospholipid scramblases (PLSCRs) constitute a family of five homologous proteins that are named as PLSCR1-PLSCR5. Scramblases are not members of the general family of transmembrane lipid transporters known as flippases. Scramblases are distinct from flippases and floppases. In fact, scramblases, flippases and floppases are three different types of enzymatic groups of phospholipid transportation enzymes. The inner-leaflet facing the inside of the cell contains negatively charged amino-phospholipids and phosphatidylethanolamine. The outer-leaflet, facing the outside environment, contains phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin. Scramblase is an enzyme, present in the cell membrane, that can transport (scramble ) the negatively charged phospholipids from the inner-leaflet to the outer-leaflet, and vice versa.