Besides de novo synthesis, PA can be formed in three ways:
* By phospholipase D (PLD), via the hydrolysis of the P-O bond of phosphatidylcholine (PC) to produce PA and choline.
* By the phosphorylation of diacylglycerol (DAG) by DAG kinase (DAGK).
* By the acylation of lysophosphatidic acid by lysoPA-acyltransferase (LPAAT); this is the most common pathway.
The glycerol 3-phosphate pathway for de novo synthesis of PA is shown here:
In addition, PA can be converted into DAG by lipid phosphate phosphohydrolases (LPPs) or into lyso-PA by phospholipase A (PLA).