Regulation of cholesterol biosynthesis by SREBP (SREBF)

Newly synthesized SREBPs are transmembrane proteins that bind SCAP in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. SCAP binds cholesterol which causes a conformational change that allows SCAP to interact with INSIG, retaining the SCAP:SREBP complex in the ER. INSIG binds oxysterols, which cause INSIG to bind SCAP and retain SCAP:SREBP in the endoplasmic reticulum.

In low cholesterol (below about 5 mol%) SCAP no longer interacts with cholesterol or INSIG and binds Sec24 of the CopII coat complex instead. Thus SCAP:SREBP transits with the CopII complex from the ER to the Golgi. In the Golgi SREBP is cleaved by S1P and then by S2P, releasing the N-terminal fragment of SREBP into the cytosol. The N-terminal fragment is imported to the nucleus by importin-beta and then acts with other factors, such as SP1 and NF-Y, to activate transcription of target genes. Targets of SREBP include the genes encoding all enzymes of cholesterol biosynthesis and several genes involved in lipogenesis. SREBP2 most strongly activates cholesterol biosynthesis while SREBP1C most strongly activates lipogenesis.