Abstract
Lipid droplets are cytoplasmic organelles that store neutral lipids for membrane synthesis and energy reserves. In this study, we characterized the lipid and protein composition of purified Caenorhabditis elegans lipid droplets. These lipid droplets are composed mainly of triacylglycerols, surrounded by a phospholipid monolayer composed primarily of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. The fatty acid composition of the triacylglycerols is rich in fatty acid species obtained from the dietary Escherichia coli, including cyclopropane fatty acids and cis-vaccenic acid. Unlike other organisms, C. elegans lipid droplets contain very little cholesterol or cholesterol esters. Comparison of the lipid droplet proteomes of wild type and high-fat daf-2 mutant strains shows a very similar proteome in both strains, except that the most abundant protein in the C. elegans lipid droplet proteome, MDT-28, is relatively less abundant in lipid droplets isolated from daf-2 mutants. Functional analysis of lipid droplet proteins identified in our proteomic studies indicated an enrichment of proteins required for growth and fat homeostasis in C. elegans. Finally, we confirmed the localization of one of the newly identified lipid droplet proteins, ACS-4. We found that ACS-4 localizes to the surface of lipid droplets in the C. elegans intestine and skin. This study bolsters C. elegans as a model to study the dynamics and functions of lipid droplets in a multicellular organism.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.