Application

Sphingomyelinase from Staphylococcus aureus has been used to:induce neurotoxicity in rat cortical cultures to study the protective effects of minocyclinedetermine the concentration of sphingomyelin from serum samplesenhance sphingomyelinase activity to study PARK9-mediated exosome biogenesis

Biochem/physiol Actions

Bacterial sphingomyelinase is active at neutral pH. When used in cell culture in vitro, it hydrolyzes the sphingomyelin on the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane and produces ceramide that is lipid-soluble. Sphingomyelinase is the key enzyme in the sphingomyelinase/ceramide pathway, which is implicated in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative disorders.

Initiates the formation of sphingomyelin-based second messengers. Activates MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) and SAPKs (stress-activated protein kinases); generates ceramide from sphingomyelin.

Packaging

25, 50 units in glass bottle

Physical form

Solution in 50% glycerol containing 0.25 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.5

Unit Definition

One unit will hydrolyze 1.0 µmol of TNPAL-sphingomyelin per min at pH 7.4 at 37 °C.