Intracellular pH and Lipid Metabolism

Abstract

Intracellular pH regulates metabolism by poorly understood mechanisms, but biosensors are likely to be important in this process. Young et al. (p. [1085][1]) took a systems-biology approach in yeast to identify in excess of 200 genes that regulate phospholipid metabolism. They found that the signaling lipid, phosphatidic acid, appeared to act as a cytosolic biosensor via the pH-dependent binding of protein effectors to phosphatidic acid. This pH-dependent mechanism directly affects gene expression and is involved in a pathway in which nutrient availability regulates phospholipid metabolism to control production of membranes. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1191026