Ectonucleotidases consist of families of

nucleotide Nucleotides are Organic compound, organic molecules composed of a nitrogenous base, a pentose sugar and a phosphate. They serve as monomeric units of the nucleic acid polymers – deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), both o ...

enzymes An enzyme () is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as pro ...

that are expressed on the

plasma membrane The cell membrane (also known as the plasma membrane or cytoplasmic membrane, and historically referred to as the plasmalemma) is a biological membrane that separates and protects the interior of a cell from the outside environment (the extr ...

and have externally oriented active sites. These enzymes metabolize

s to

nucleoside Nucleosides are glycosylamines that can be thought of as nucleotides without a phosphate group. A nucleoside consists simply of a nucleobase (also termed a nitrogenous base) and a five-carbon sugar (ribose or 2'-deoxyribose) whereas a nucleotid ...

s. The contribution of ectonucleotidases in the modulation of purinergic signaling depends on the availability and preference of substrates and on cell and tissue distribution.

Classification

Subfamilies of ectonucleotidases include: CD39/NTPDases (ecto-nucleotide triphosphate diphosphohydrolases), Nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (NPP)-type ecto-phosphodiesterases, alkaline phosphatases and ecto-5’-nucleotidases/ CD73.

Function

Ectonucleotidases produce key molecules for purine salvage and consequent replenishment of ATP stores within multiple cell types. Dephosphorylated nucleoside derivatives interact with membrane transporters to enable intracellular uptake. Ectonucleotidases modulate P2 purinergic signaling, and P1 receptors. In addition, ectonucleotidases generate extracellular adenosine, which abrogates nucleotide-mediated effects and activates adenosine receptors, often with opposing (patho-) physiological effects.

Adenosine generation

The first step in the production of adenosine involves the conversion of ATP/ADP to AMP. It is carried out by ENTPD1, also known as CD39. The second step involves the conversion of AMP to adenosine. It is carried out by NT5E, also known as CD73.

References

Hydrolases Purinergic signalling {{Enzyme-stub