In cyanobacteria and plants, VIPP1 plays crucial roles in the biogenesis and repair of thylakoid membrane protein complexes and in coping with chloroplast membrane stress. In chloroplasts, VIPP1 localizes in distinct patterns at or close to envelope and thylakoid membranes. In vitro, VIPP1 forms higher-order oligomers of >1 MDa that organize into rings and rods. However, it remains unknown how VIPP1 oligomerization is related to function. Using time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy and sucrose density gradient centrifugation, we show here that Chlamydomonas reinhardtii VIPP1 binds strongly to liposomal membranes containing phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PI4P). Cryo-electron tomography reveals that VIPP1 oligomerizes into rods that can engulf liposomal membranes containing PI4P. These findings place VIPP1 into a group of membrane-shaping proteins including epsin and BAR domain proteins. Moreover, they point to a potential role of phosphatidylinositols in directing the shaping of chloroplast membranes.

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a chloride channel that is expressed in many epithelia and in the heart. Phosphorylation of CFTR by protein kinases is thought to be an absolute prerequisite for the opening of CFTR channels. In addition, nucleoside triphosphates were shown to regulate the opening of phosphorylated CFTR. Here, we report that phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP(2)) activates human CFTR, resulting in ATP responsiveness of PIP(2)-treated CFTR. PIP(2) alone is not sufficient to open CFTR, but ATP opens nonphosphorylated CFTR after application of PIP(2). The effect of PIP(2) is independent of protein kinases, as PIP(2) activates CFTR in the complete absence of Mg. Phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol monophosphate activate CFTR less efficiently than PIP(2). PIP(2) application to phosphorylated CFTR may inhibit the CFTR chloride current. We suggest that regulation of CFTR by PIP(2) is a previously unrecognized, alternative mechanism to control chloride conductance.

Although mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) protein has emerged as a specific and crucial protein for necroptosis induction, how MLKL transduces the death signal remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that the full four-helical bundle domain (4HBD) in the N-terminal region of MLKL is required and sufficient to induce its oligomerization and trigger cell death. Moreover, we found that a patch of positively charged amino acids on the surface of the 4HBD binds to phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs) and allows recruitment of MLKL to the plasma membrane. Importantly, we found that recombinant MLKL, but not a mutant lacking these positive charges, induces leakage of PIP-containing liposomes as potently as BAX, supporting a model in which MLKL induces necroptosis by directly permeabilizing the plasma membrane. Accordingly, we found that inhibiting the formation of PI(5)P and PI(4,5)P2 specifically inhibits tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-mediated necroptosis but not apoptosis.

Phosphoinositides (PIPs) participate in many cellular processes, including cancer progression; however, the metabolic features of PIPs associated with prostate cancer (PCa) are unknown. We investigated PIPs profiles in PTEN-deficient prostate cancer cell lines, human prostate tissues obtained from patients with PCa and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) specimens using mass spectrometry. In immortalized normal human prostate PNT1B cells, PTEN deficiency increased phosphatidylinositol tris-phosphate (PIP3) and decreased phosphatidylinositol mono- and bis-phosphate (PIP1 and PIP2), consistent with PTEN's functional role as a PI(3,4,5)P3 3-phosphatase. In human prostate tissues, levels of total (sum of all acyl variants) phosphatidylinositol (PI) and PIP1 in PCa were significantly higher than in BPH, whereas PIP2 and PIP3 contents were significantly lower than in BPH. PCa patients had significantly higher proportion of PI, PIP1, and PIP2 with 0-2 double bonds in acyl chains than BPH patients. In subgroup analyses based on PCa aggressiveness, mean total levels of PI with 0-2 double bonds in acyl chains were significantly higher in patients with pathological stage T3 than in those with pathological stage T2. These data indicate that alteration of PIPs level and the saturation of acyl chains may be associated with the development and aggressiveness of prostate cancer, although it is unknown whether this alteration is causative.

Neutrophils play a central role in host defense, inflammation, and tissue injury. Recent findings indicate a novel role for polyisoprenyl phosphates (PIPPs) as natural down-regulatory signals in neutrophils. The relationship between PIPPs and neutrophil early activating signals, such as phosphoinositides, has not been previously determined. Here, we establish presqualene diphosphate (PSDP) as an endogenous PIPP regulator of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). In human neutrophils, leukotriene B4 (LTB4) triggered rapid decreases in PSDP and reciprocal increases in PI3K activity. In addition, PSDP was identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in p110gamma-PI3K immunoprecipitates obtained 30 s after LTB4, indicating a physical interaction between PSDP and PI3K in activated neutrophils. Moreover, PSDP (0.4-800 pmol) directly inhibited recombinant human p110gamma-PI3K activity. During an experimental model of lung injury and inflammation, a reciprocal relationship was also present in vivo for lung PSDP and PI3K activity. To investigate its therapeutic potential, we developed a new PSDP structural mimetic that blocked human neutrophil activation and mouse lung PI3K activity and inflammation. Together, our findings indicate that PSDP is an endogenous PI3K inhibitor, and suggest that in inflammatory diseases characterized by excessive neutrophil activation, PIPPs can serve as structural templates in a novel antineutrophil therapeutic strategy to limit tissue injury.

There is substantial evidence for extensive nonvesicular sterol transport in cells. For example, lipid transfer by the steroidogenic acute regulator-related proteins (StarD) containing a StarT domain has been shown to involve several pathways of nonvesicular trafficking. Among the soluble StarT domain-containing proteins, StarD4 is expressed in most tissues and has been shown to be an effective sterol transfer protein. However, it was unclear whether the lipid composition of donor or acceptor membranes played a role in modulating StarD4-mediated transport. Here, we used fluorescence-based assays to demonstrate a phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP)-selective mechanism by which StarD4 can preferentially extract sterol from liposome membranes containing certain PIPs (especially, PI(4,5)P2 and to a lesser degree PI(3,5)P2). Monophosphorylated PIPs and other anionic lipids had a smaller effect on sterol transport. This enhancement of transport was less effective when the same PIPs were present in the acceptor membranes. Furthermore, using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we mapped the key interaction sites of StarD4 with PIP-containing membranes and identified residues that are important for this interaction and for accelerated sterol transport activity. We show that StarD4 recognizes membrane-specific PIPs through specific interaction with the geometry of the PIP headgroup as well as the surrounding membrane environment. Finally, we also observed that StarD4 can deform membranes upon longer incubations. Taken together, these results suggest a mechanism by which PIPs modulate cholesterol transfer activity via StarD4.

The phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) and the Ciona intestinalis voltage sensitive phosphatase (Ci-VSP) are both phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP) phosphatases that contain a C2 domain. PTEN is a tumor suppressor protein that acts as a phosphatase on PIP3 in mammalian cell membranes. It contains two principal domains: a phosphatase domain (PD) and a C2 domain. Despite detailed structural and functional characterization, less is known about its mechanism of interaction with PIP-containing lipid bilayers. Ci-VSP consists of an N-terminal transmembrane voltage sensor domain and a C-terminal PTEN domain, which in turn contains a PD and a C2 domain. The nature of the interaction of the PTEN domain of Ci-VSP with membranes has not been well established. We have used multiscale molecular dynamics simulations to define the interaction mechanisms of PTEN and of the Ci-VSP PTEN domains with PIP-containing lipid bilayers. Our results suggest a novel mechanism of association of the PTEN with such bilayers, in which an initial electrostatics-driven encounter of the protein and bilayer is followed by reorientation of the protein to optimize its interactions with PIP molecules in the membrane. Although a PIP3 molecule binds close to the active site of PTEN, our simulations suggest a further conformational change of the protein may be required for catalytically productive binding to occur. Ci-VSP interacted with membranes in an orientation comparable to that of PTEN but bound directly to PIP-containing membranes without a subsequent reorientation step. Again, PIP3 bound close to the active site of the Ci-VSP PD, but not in a catalytically productive manner. Interactions of Ci-VSP with the bilayer induced clustering of PIP molecules around the protein.

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase type 2α (PI3KC2α) and related class II PI3K isoforms are of increasing biomedical interest because of their crucial roles in endocytic membrane dynamics, cell division and signaling, angiogenesis, and platelet morphology and function. Herein we report the development and characterization of PhosphatidylInositol Three-kinase Class twO INhibitors (PITCOINs), potent and highly selective small-molecule inhibitors of PI3KC2α catalytic activity. PITCOIN compounds exhibit strong selectivity toward PI3KC2α due to their unique mode of interaction with the ATP-binding site of the enzyme. We demonstrate that acute inhibition of PI3KC2α-mediated synthesis of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphates by PITCOINs impairs endocytic membrane dynamics and membrane remodeling during platelet-dependent thrombus formation. PITCOINs are potent and selective cell-permeable inhibitors of PI3KC2α function with potential biomedical applications ranging from thrombosis to diabetes and cancer.

Current models of gene expression, which are based on single-molecule localization microscopy, acknowledge protein clustering and the formation of transcriptional condensates as a driving force of gene expression. However, these models largely omit the role of nuclear lipids and amongst them nuclear phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs) in particular. Moreover, the precise distribution of nuclear PIPs in the functional sub-nuclear domains remains elusive. The direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) provides an unprecedented resolution in biological imaging. Therefore, its use for imaging in the densely crowded cell nucleus is desired but also challenging. Here we present a dual-color dSTORM imaging and image analysis of nuclear PI(4,5)P2, PI(3,4)P2 and PI(4)P distribution while preserving the context of nuclear architecture. In the nucleoplasm, PI(4,5)P2 and PI(3,4)P2 co-pattern in close proximity with the subset of RNA polymerase II foci. PI(4,5)P2 is surrounded by fibrillarin in the nucleoli and all three PIPs are dispersed within the matrix formed by the nuclear speckle protein SON. PI(4,5)P2 is the most abundant nuclear PIP, while PI(4)P is a precursor for the biosynthesis of PI(4,5)P2 and PI(3,4)P2. Therefore, our data are relevant for the understanding the roles of nuclear PIPs and provide further evidence for the model in which nuclear PIPs represent a localization signal for the formation of lipo-ribonucleoprotein hubs in the nucleus. The discussed experimental pipeline is applicable for further functional studies on the role of other nuclear PIPs in the regulation of gene expression and beyond.

The Vps13 protein family is highly conserved in eukaryotic cells. In humans, mutations in the gene encoding the family member VPS13A lead to the neurodegenerative disorder chorea-acanthocytosis. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, there is just a single version of VPS13, thereby simplifying the task of unraveling its molecular function(s). While VPS13 was originally identified in yeast by its role in vacuolar sorting, recent studies have revealed a completely different function for VPS13 in sporulation, where VPS13 regulates phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PtdIns(4)P) levels in the prospore membrane. This discovery raises the possibility that the disease phenotype associated with vps13A mutants in humans is due to misregulation of PtdIns(4)P in membranes. To determine whether VPS13A affects PtdIns(4)P in membranes from mammalian neuronal cells, phosphatidylinositol phosphate pools were compared in PC12 tissue culture cells in the absence or presence of VPS13A. Consistent with the yeast results, the localization of PtdIns(4)P is specifically altered in VPS13A knockdown cells while other phosphatidylinositol phosphates appear unaffected. In addition, VPS13A is necessary to prevent the premature degeneration of neurites that develop in response to Nerve Growth Factor. The regulation of PtdIns(4)P is therefore a conserved function of the Vps13 family and may play a role in the maintenance of neuronal processes in mammals.

Chemotaxis is controlled by interactions between receptors, Rho-family GTPases, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases, and cytoskeleton remodeling proteins. We investigated how the metastasis suppressor, SSeCKS, attenuates chemotaxis. Chemotaxis activity inversely correlated with SSeCKS levels in mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEF), DU145 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells. SSeCKS loss induced chemotactic velocity and linear directionality, correlating with replacement of leading edge lamellipodia with fascin-enriched filopodia-like extensions, the formation of thickened longitudinal F-actin stress fibers reaching to filopodial tips, relative enrichments at the leading edge of phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)P3 (PIP3), Akt, PKC-ζ, Cdc42-GTP and active Src (SrcpoY416), and a loss of Rac1. Leading edge lamellipodia and chemotaxis inhibition in SSeCKS-null MEF could be restored by full-length SSeCKS or SSeCKS deleted of its Src-binding domain (ΔSrc), but not by SSeCKS deleted of its three MARCKS (myristylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate) polybasic domains (ΔPBD), which bind PIP2 and PIP3. The enrichment of activated Cdc42 in SSeCKS-null leading edge filopodia correlated with recruitment of the Cdc42-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor, Frabin, likely recruited via multiple PIP2/3-binding domains. Frabin knockdown in SSeCKS-null MEF restores leading edge lamellipodia and chemotaxis inhibition. However, SSeCKS failed to co-immunoprecipitate with Rac1, Cdc42 or Frabin. Consistent with the notion that chemotaxis is controlled by SSeCKS-PIP (vs. -Src) scaffolding activity, constitutively-active phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase could override the ability of the Src inhibitor, SKI-606, to suppress chemotaxis and filopodial enrichment of Frabin in SSeCKS-null MEF. Our data suggest a role for SSeCKS in controlling Rac1 vs. Cdc42-induced cellular dynamics at the leading chemotactic edge through the scaffolding of phospholipids and signal mediators, and through the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton controlling directional movement.

Phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs) are lipid signaling molecules that play key roles in many cellular processes. PIP5K1A kinase catalyzes phosphorylation of PI4P to form PIP2, which in turn interacts with membrane and membrane-associated proteins. We explore the mechanism of membrane binding by the PIP5K1A kinase using a multiscale molecular dynamics approach. Coarse-grained simulations show binding of monomeric PIP5K1A to a model cell membrane containing PI4P. PIP5K1A did not bind to zwitterionic or anionic membranes lacking PIP molecules. Initial encounter of kinase and bilayer was followed by reorientation to enable productive binding to the PI4P-containing membrane. The simulations suggest that unstructured regions may be important for the preferred orientation for membrane binding. Atomistic simulations indicated that the dimeric kinase could not bind to the membrane via both active sites at the same time, suggesting a conformational change in the protein and/or bilayer distortion may be needed for dual-site binding to occur.

Dietary arachidonic acid (AA) has roles in growth, neuronal development, and cognitive function in infants. AA is remarkably enriched in phosphatidylinositol (PI), an important constituent of biological membranes in mammals; however, the physiological significance of AA-containing PI remains unknown. In an RNA interference-based genetic screen using Caenorhabditis elegans, we recently cloned mboa-7 as an acyltransferase that selectively incorporates AA into PI. Here we show that lysophosphatidylinositol acyltransferase 1 (LPIAT1, also known as MBOAT7), the closest mammalian homologue, plays a crucial role in brain development in mice. Lpiat1(-/-) mice show almost no LPIAT activity with arachidonoyl-CoA as an acyl donor and show reduced AA contents in PI and PI phosphates. Lpiat1(-/-) mice die within a month and show atrophy of the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Immunohistochemical analysis reveals disordered cortical lamination and delayed neuronal migration in the cortex of E18.5 Lpiat1(-/-) mice. LPIAT1 deficiency also causes disordered neuronal processes in the cortex and reduced neurite outgrowth in vitro. Taken together, these results demonstrate that AA-containing PI/PI phosphates play an important role in normal cortical lamination during brain development in mice.

Inositol phosphates are widely produced throughout animal and plant tissues. Diphosphoinositol pentakisphosphate (InsP7) contains an energetic pyrophosphate bond. Here we demonstrate that disruption of inositol hexakisphosphate kinase 1 (InsP6K1), one of the three mammalian inositol hexakisphosphate kinases (InsP6Ks) that convert inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP6) to InsP7, conferred enhanced phosphatidylinositol-(3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P3)-mediated membrane translocation of the pleckstrin homology domain of the kinase Akt and thus augmented downstream PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 signaling in mouse neutrophils. Consequently, these neutrophils had greater phagocytic and bactericidal ability and amplified NADPH oxidase-mediated production of superoxide. These phenotypes were replicated in human primary neutrophils with pharmacologically inhibited InsP6Ks. In contrast, an increase in intracellular InsP7 blocked chemoattractant-elicited translocation of the pleckstrin homology domain to the membrane and substantially suppressed PtdIns(3,4,5)P3-mediated cellular events in neutrophils. Our findings establish a role for InsP7 in signal transduction and provide a mechanism for modulating PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 signaling in neutrophils.

Phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs) function as important second messengers in many cellular events. In the human intestinal protist Entamoeba histolytica, where phagocytosis/trogocytosis plays an indispensable role in proliferation and pathophysiology during infection, various PIPs are involved in multiple steps of phago/trogocytosis. PI3-phosphate (PI3P) plays a pivotal role in the biogenesis of phagosome/trogosomes via recruitment of PI3P effectors. Because no known PI3P downstream effectors are conserved in E. histolytica, we exploited a unique method to identify the proteins PI3P dependently recruited to phagosomes. We rationalised that overexpression of PI3P-binding GFP-HrsFYVE competes for PI3P on phagosomal membranes and results in dissociation of PI3P effectors from phagosomes. EhVps26 and EhVps35, but not sorting nexins (SNXs), of the retromer complex were detected from phagosomes only without GFP-HrsFYVE overexpression. Two potential SNXs, EhSNX1 and EhSNX2, identified in the genome, possess only phox homology domain and specifically bound to PI3P, but retromer components, EhVps26 and EhVps35, did not bind to PI3P. Live and immunofluorescence imaging showed that EhSNX1 was recruited to the trogocytic cup and tunnel-like structures, and subsequently, EhSNX2 was recruited to trogosomes. Furthermore, EhSNX1, but not EhSNX2, specifically bound to Arp2/3 and EhVps26, which were localised to the tunnel-like structures and the trogosomes, respectively. EhSNX2 gene silencing increased trogocytosis, suggesting that EhSNX2 plays an inhibitory role in trogocytosis.

The cotton fibers are seed trichomes that elongate from the ovule epidermis. Polar lipids are required for the quick enlargement of cell membrane and fiber cell growth, however, how lipids are transported from the ovules into the developing fibers remains less known. Here, we reported the functional characterization of GhLTPG1, a GPI-anchored lipid transport protein, during cotton fiber elongation. GhLTPG1 was abundantly expressed in elongating cotton fibers and outer integument of the ovules, and GhLTPG1 protein was located on cell membrane. Biochemical analysis showed that GhLTPG1 specifically bound to phosphatidylinositol mono-phosphates (PtdIns3P, PtdIns4P and PtdIns5P) in vitro and transported PtdInsPs from the synthesis places to the plasma membranes in vivo. Expression of GhLTPG1 in Arabidopsis caused an increased number of trichomes, and fibers in GhLTPG1-knockdown cotton plants exhibited significantly reduced length, decreased polar lipid content, and repression of fiber elongation-related genes expression. These results suggested that GhLTPG1 protein regulates the cotton fiber elongation through mediating the transport of phosphatidylinositol monophosphates.

Many signaling events require the binding of cytoplasmic proteins to cell membranes by recognition of specific charged lipids, such as phosphoinositol-phosphates. As a model for a protein-membrane binding site, we consider one charged phosphoinositol phosphate (PtdIns(3)P) embedded in a phosphatidylcholine bilayer. As the protein-membrane binding is driven by electrostatic interactions, continuum solvent models require an accurate representation of the electrostatic potential of the phosphoinositol phosphate-containing membrane. We computed and analyzed the electrostatic potentials of snapshots taken at regular intervals from molecular dynamics simulations of the bilayer. We observe considerable variation in the electrostatic potential of the bilayer both along a single simulation and between simulations performed with the GAFF or CHARMM c36 force fields. However, we find that the choice of GAFF or CHARMM c36 parameters has little effect on the electrostatic potential of a given configuration of the bilayer with a PtdIns(3)P embedded in it. From our results, we propose a remedian averaging method for calculating the electrostatic potential of a membrane system that is suitable for simulations of protein-membrane binding with a continuum solvent model.

Lyso-lipid acyltransferases are enzymes involved in various processes such as lipid synthesis and remodelling. Here, we characterized the activity of an acyltransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana (LPIAT). In vitro, this protein, expressed in Escherichia coli membrane, displayed a 2-lyso-phosphatidylinositol acyltransferase activity with a specificity towards saturated long chain acyl CoAs (C16:0- and C18:0-CoAs), allowing the remodelling of phosphatidylinositol. In planta, LPIAT gene was expressed in mature seeds and very transiently during seed imbibition, mostly in aleurone-like layer cells. Whereas the disruption of this gene did not alter the lipid composition of seed, its overexpression in leaves promoted a strong increase in the phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIP) level without affecting the PIP2 content. The spatial and temporal narrow expression of this gene as well as the modification of PIP metabolism led us to investigate its role in the control of seed germination. Seeds from the lpiat mutant germinated faster and were less sensitive to abscisic acid (ABA) than wild-type or overexpressing lines. We also showed that the protective effect of ABA on young seedlings against dryness was reduced for lpiat line. In addition, germination of lpiat mutant seeds was more sensitive to hyperosmotic stress. All these results suggest a link between phosphoinositides and ABA signalling in the control of seed germination.

Phosphatidylinositol phosphates are key phospholipids with a range of regulatory roles, including membrane trafficking and cell polarity. Phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate [PI(4)P] at the Golgi apparatus is required for the budding-to-filamentous-growth transition in the human-pathogenic fungus Candida albicans; however, the role of plasma membrane PI(4)P is unclear. We have investigated the importance of this phospholipid in C. albicans growth, stress response, and virulence by generating mutant strains with decreased levels of plasma membrane PI(4)P, via deletion of components of the PI-4-kinase complex, i.e., Efr3, Ypp1, and Stt4. The amounts of plasma membrane PI(4)P in the efr3Δ/Δ and ypp1Δ/Δ mutants were ∼60% and ∼40%, respectively, of that in the wild-type strain, whereas it was nearly undetectable in the stt4Δ/Δ mutant. All three mutants had reduced plas7ma membrane phosphatidylserine (PS). Although these mutants had normal yeast-phase growth, they were defective in filamentous growth, exhibited defects in cell wall integrity, and had an increased exposure of cell wall β(1,3)-glucan, yet they induced a range of hyphal-specific genes. In a mouse model of hematogenously disseminated candidiasis, fungal plasma membrane PI(4)P levels directly correlated with virulence; the efr3Δ/Δ mutant had wild-type virulence, the ypp1Δ/Δ mutant had attenuated virulence, and the stt4Δ/Δ mutant caused no lethality. In the mouse model of oropharyngeal candidiasis, only the ypp1Δ/Δ mutant had reduced virulence, indicating that plasma membrane PI(4)P is less important for proliferation in the oropharynx. Collectively, these results demonstrate that plasma membrane PI(4)P levels play a central role in filamentation, cell wall integrity, and virulence in C. albicans. IMPORTANCE While the PI-4-kinases Pik1 and Stt4 both produce PI(4)P, the former generates PI(4)P at the Golgi apparatus and the latter at the plasma membrane, and these two pools are functionally distinct. To address the importance of plasma membrane PI(4)P in Candida albicans, we generated deletion mutants of the three putative plasma membrane PI-4-kinase complex components and quantified the levels of plasma membrane PI(4)P in each of these strains. Our work reveals that this phosphatidylinositol phosphate is specifically critical for the yeast-to-hyphal transition, cell wall integrity, and virulence in a mouse systemic infection model. The significance of this work is in identifying a plasma membrane phospholipid that has an infection-specific role, which is attributed to the loss of plasma membrane PI(4)P resulting in β(1,3)-glucan unmasking.

Inositol phosphates function as second messengers for a variety of extracellular signals. Ins(1,4,5)P(3) generated by phospholipase C-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate, triggers numerous cellular processes by regulating calcium release from internal stores. The Ins(1,4,5)P(3) signal is coupled to a complex metabolic cascade involving a series of phosphatases and kinases. These enzymes generate a range of inositol phosphate derivatives, many of which have signaling roles of their own. We have integrated published biochemical data to build a mass action model for InsP(3) metabolism. The model includes most inositol phosphates that are currently known to interact with each other. We have used this model to study the effects of a G-protein coupled receptor stimulus that activates phospholipase C on the inositol phosphates. We have also monitored how the metabolic cascade interacts with Ins(1,4,5)P(3)-mediated calcium release. We find temporal dynamics of most inositol phosphates to be strongly influenced by the elaborate networking. We also show that Ins(1,3,4,5)P(4) plays a key role in InsP(3) dynamics and allows for paired pulse facilitation of calcium release. Calcium oscillations produce oscillatory responses in parts of the metabolic network and are in turn temporally modulated by the metabolism of InsP(3).