Calcium (Ca 2+ ) is a secondary messenger in cells and Ca 2+ flux initiated from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stores via inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) binding to the IP3 receptor (IP3R) is particularly important for the activation and function of immune cells. Previous studies demonstrated that genetic deletion of selenoprotein K (Selk) led to decreased Ca 2+ flux in a variety of immune cells and impaired immunity, but the mechanism was unclear. Here we show that Selk deficiency does not affect receptor-induced IP3 production, but Selk deficiency through genetic deletion or low selenium in culture media leads to low expression of the IP3R due to a defect in IP3R palmitoylation. Bioinformatic analysis of the DHHC (letters represent the amino acids aspartic acid, histidine, histidine, and cysteine in the catalytic domain) family of enzymes that catalyze protein palmitoylation revealed that one member, DHHC6, contains a predicted Src-homology 3 (SH3) domain and DHHC6 is localized to the ER membrane. Because Selk is also an ER membrane protein and contains an SH3 binding domain, immunofluorescence and coimmunoprecipitation experiments were conducted and revealed DHHC6/Selk interactions in the ER membrane that depended on SH3/SH3 binding domain interactions. DHHC6 knockdown using shRNA in stably transfected cell lines led to decreased expression of the IP3R and impaired IP3R-dependent Ca 2+ flux. Mass spectrophotometric and bioinformatic analyses of the IP3R protein identified two palmitoylated cysteine residues and another potentially palmitoylated cysteine, and mutation of these three cysteines to alanines resulted in decreased IP3R palmitoylation and function. These findings reveal IP3R palmitoylation as a critical regulator of Ca 2+ flux in immune cells and define a previously unidentified DHHC/Selk complex responsible for this process.I mmune cell activation relies on receptor-mediated increases in cellular calcium (Ca 2+ ) concentrations, which is an indispensable step in proliferation, differentiation, migration, and effector functions during immune responses (1, 2). A rapid influx of Ca 2+ has been shown to be important during the activation of lymphocytes through the T-and B-cell receptors, macrophages through Fcγ receptors, and mast cells through Fce receptors and stimulation of various immune cells through chemokine receptors (3). Engagement of these receptors at the plasma membrane leads to the activation of phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C, which catalyzes the degradation of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate to generate inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (4). IP3 binds to the IP3 receptor (IP3R) in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane leading to Ca 2+ mobilization from the ER, which is the main Ca 2+ store in immune cells (5). The release of Ca 2+ from the ER lumen to the cytosol causes structural changes and oligomerization of the ER transmembrane protein, stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) (6, 7). These changes allow the cytosolic domain of STIM1 to directly inte...