Major sphingomyelin synthase at the Golgi apparatus (PubMed:14685263, PubMed:17449912). Catalyzes the reversible transfer of phosphocholine moiety in sphingomyelin biosynthesis: in the forward reaction transfers phosphocholine head group of phosphatidylcholine (PC) on to ceramide (CER) to form ceramide phosphocholine (sphingomyelin, SM) and diacylglycerol (DAG) as by-product, and in the reverse reaction transfers phosphocholine from SM to DAG to form PC and CER. The direction of the reaction depends on the levels of CER and DAG in Golgi membranes (PubMed:14685263, PubMed:14976195, PubMed:17449912, PubMed:17982138, PubMed:19454763). Does not use free phosphorylcholine or CDP-choline as donor (PubMed:14685263, PubMed:14976195). Regulates receptor-mediated signal transduction via mitogenic DAG and proapoptotic CER, as well as via SM, a structural component of membrane rafts that serve as platforms for signal transduction and protein sorting (PubMed:14976195, PubMed:17449912, PubMed:17982138). Plays a role in secretory transport via regulation of DAG pool at the Golgi apparatus and its downstream effects on PRKD1 (PubMed:18370930, PubMed:21980337).
