scholarly journals Lecithin:Retinol Acyl Transferase (LRAT) induces the formation of lipid droplets

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martijn R. Molenaar ◽  
Tsjerk A. Wassenaar ◽  
Kamlesh K. Yadav ◽  
Alexandre Toulmay ◽  
Muriel C. Mari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Lipid Droplets ◽  
Neutral Lipids ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Acyl Transferase ◽  
Hydrophobic Core ◽  
Retinyl Ester ◽  
Steryl Esters ◽  
Retinyl Esters

AbstractLipid droplets are unique and nearly ubiquitous organelles that store neutral lipids in a hydrophobic core, surrounded by a monolayer of phospholipids. The primary neutral lipids are triacylglycerols and steryl esters. It is not known whether other classes of neutral lipids can form lipid droplets by themselves. Here we show that production of retinyl esters by lecithin:retinol acyl transferase (LRAT) in yeast cells, incapable of producing triacylglycerols and steryl esters, causes the formation of lipid droplets. By electron microscopy, these lipid droplets are morphologically indistinguishable from those in wild-type cells. In silico and in vitro experiments confirmed the propensity of retinyl esters to segregate from membranes and to form lipid droplets. The hydrophobic N-terminus of LRAT displays preferential interactions with retinyl esters in membranes and promotes the formation of large retinyl ester-containing lipid droplets in mammalian cells. Our combined data indicate that the molecular design of LRAT is optimally suited to allow the formation of characteristic large lipid droplets in retinyl ester-storing cells.

scholarly journals Retinyl esters form lipid droplets independently of triacylglycerol and seipin

2021 ◽  
Vol 220 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martijn R. Molenaar ◽  
Kamlesh K. Yadav ◽  
Alexandre Toulmay ◽  
Tsjerk A. Wassenaar ◽  
Muriel C. Mari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Bilayers ◽  
Lipid Droplet ◽  
Lipid Droplets ◽  
Neutral Lipids ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
In Vitro Experiments ◽  
Steryl Esters ◽  
Retinyl Esters

Lipid droplets store neutral lipids, primarily triacylglycerol and steryl esters. Seipin plays a role in lipid droplet biogenesis and is thought to determine the site of lipid droplet biogenesis and the size of newly formed lipid droplets. Here we show a seipin-independent pathway of lipid droplet biogenesis. In silico and in vitro experiments reveal that retinyl esters have the intrinsic propensity to sequester and nucleate in lipid bilayers. Production of retinyl esters in mammalian and yeast cells that do not normally produce retinyl esters causes the formation of lipid droplets, even in a yeast strain that produces only retinyl esters and no other neutral lipids. Seipin does not determine the size or biogenesis site of lipid droplets composed of only retinyl esters or steryl esters. These findings indicate that the role of seipin in lipid droplet biogenesis depends on the type of neutral lipid stored in forming droplets.

scholarly journals The surface of lipid droplets constitutes a barrier for endoplasmic reticulum residential integral membrane spanning proteins

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasha Khaddaj ◽  
Muriel Mari ◽  
Stéphanie Cottier ◽  
Fulvio Reggiori ◽  
Roger Schneiter
Keyword(s):  
Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽  
Fusion Proteins ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Lipid Droplets ◽  
Neutral Lipids ◽  
Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation ◽  
Steryl Esters ◽  
Perilipin A ◽  
Membrane Spanning ◽  
Mitochondrial Membrane Protein

AbstractLipid droplets (LDs) are globular subcellular structures that mainly serve to store energy in form of neutral lipids, particularly triacylglycerols and steryl esters. LDs are closely associated with the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and are limited by a monolayer membrane of phospholipids harboring a specific set of proteins. Most of these proteins associate with LDs through either an amphipathic helix or a membrane-embedded hairpin motif. Here we address the question whether integral membrane spanning proteins could localize to the surface of LDs. To test this, we fused perilipin 3 (PLIN3), a mammalian LD-targeted protein, to ER resident proteins, such as Wbp1 (a N-glycosyl transferase complex subunit), Sec61 (a translocon subunit), and Pmt1 (a protein O-mannosyltransferase). The resulting fusion proteins localize to the periphery of LDs in both yeast and mammalian cells. This peripheral LD localization of the fusion proteins, however, is due to redistribution of the ER around LDs, as revealed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation between ER- and LD-localized partners in cells coexpressing the membrane-anchored perilipin. A LD-tethering function of PLIN3-containing membrane proteins was confirmed by fusing PLIN3 to the cytoplasmic domain of OM14, an outer mitochondrial membrane protein. Expression of OM14-PLIN3 resulted in close apposition of mitochondria and LDs. Taken together, these data indicate that the LD surface constitutes a barrier for ER-localized integral membrane spanning proteins.

Functional interaction between p21rap1A and components of the budding pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 4084-4092
Author(s):  
P C McCabe ◽  
H Haubruck ◽  
P Polakis ◽  
F McCormick ◽  
M A Innis
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Bound States ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Temperature Sensitive ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Amino Terminal ◽  
Loop Region

The rap1A gene encodes a 21-kDa, ras-related GTP-binding protein (p21rap1A) of unknown function. A close structural homolog of p21rap1A (65% identity in the amino-terminal two-thirds) is the RSR1 gene product (Rsr1p) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Although Rsr1p is not essential for growth, its presence is required for nonrandom selection of bud sites. To assess the similarity of these proteins at the functional level, wild-type and mutant forms of p21rap1A were tested for complementation of activities known to be fulfilled by Rsr1p. Expression of p21rap1A, like multicopy expression of RSR1, suppressed the conditional lethality of a temperature-sensitive cdc24 mutation. Point mutations predicted to affect the localization of p21rap1A or its ability to cycle between GDP and GTP-bound states disrupted suppression of cdc24ts, while other mutations in the 61-65 loop region improved suppression. Expression of p21rap1A could not, however, suppress the random budding phenotype of rsr1 cells. p21rap1A also apparently interfered with the normal activity of Rsrlp, causing random budding in diploid wild-type cells, suggesting an inability of p21rap1A to interact appropriately with Rsr1p regulatory proteins. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found an Rsr1p-specific GTPase-activating protein (GAP) activity in yeast membranes which was not active toward p21rap1A, indicating that p21rap1A may be predominantly GTP bound in yeast cells. Coexpression of human Rap1-specific GAP suppressed the random budding due to expression of p21rap1A or its derivatives, including Rap1AVal-12. Although Rap1-specific GAP stimulated the GTPase of Rsr1p in vitro, it did not dominantly interfere with Rsr1p function in vivo. A chimera consisting of Rap1A1-165::Rsr1p166-272 did not exhibit normal Rsr1p function in the budding pathway. These results indicated that p21rap1A and Rsr1p share at least partial functional homology, which may have implications for p21rap1A function in mammalian cells.

scholarly journals YPR139c/LOA1encodes a novel lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase associated with lipid droplets and involved in TAG homeostasis

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Ayciriex ◽  
Marina Le Guédard ◽  
Nadine Camougrand ◽  
Gisèle Velours ◽  
Mario Schoene ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lysophosphatidic Acid ◽  
Lipid Droplets ◽  
Neutral Lipids ◽  
In Vitro Assays ◽  
Metabolic Labeling ◽  
Lysophosphatidic Acid Acyltransferase ◽  
Escherichia Coli Cells ◽  
Type Strains

For many years, lipid droplets (LDs) were considered to be an inert store of lipids. However, recent data showed that LDs are dynamic organelles playing an important role in storage and mobilization of neutral lipids. In this paper, we report the characterization of LOA1 (alias VPS66, alias YPR139c), a yeast member of the glycerolipid acyltransferase family. LOA1 mutants show abnormalities in LD morphology. As previously reported, cells lacking LOA1 contain more LDs. Conversely, we showed that overexpression results in fewer LDs. We then compared the lipidome of loa1Δ mutant and wild-type strains. Steady-state metabolic labeling of loa1Δ revealed a significant reduction in triacylglycerol content, while phospholipid (PL) composition remained unchanged. Interestingly, lipidomic analysis indicates that both PLs and glycerolipids are qualitatively affected by the mutation, suggesting that Loa1p is a lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPA AT) with a preference for oleoyl-CoA. This hypothesis was tested by in vitro assays using both membranes of Escherichia coli cells expressing LOA1 and purified proteins as enzyme sources. Our results from purification of subcellular compartments and proteomic studies show that Loa1p is associated with LD and active in this compartment. Loa1p is therefore a novel LPA AT and plays a role in LD formation.

scholarly journals Arf1/COPI machinery acts directly on lipid droplets and enables their connection to the ER for protein targeting

eLife ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Wilfling ◽  
Abdou Rachid Thiam ◽  
Maria-Jesus Olarte ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Rainer Beck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Tension ◽  
Lipid Droplets ◽  
Protein Targeting ◽  
Neutral Lipids ◽  
Vesicle Trafficking ◽  
Metabolic Energy ◽  
Key Enzymes ◽  
Specific Proteins ◽  
Oil Water

Lipid droplets (LDs) are ubiquitous organelles that store neutral lipids, such as triacylglycerol (TG), as reservoirs of metabolic energy and membrane precursors. The Arf1/COPI protein machinery, known for its role in vesicle trafficking, regulates LD morphology, targeting of specific proteins to LDs and lipolysis through unclear mechanisms. Recent evidence shows that Arf1/COPI can bud nano-LDs (∼60 nm diameter) from phospholipid-covered oil/water interfaces in vitro. We show that Arf1/COPI proteins localize to cellular LDs, are sufficient to bud nano-LDs from cellular LDs, and are required for targeting specific TG-synthesis enzymes to LD surfaces. Cells lacking Arf1/COPI function have increased amounts of phospholipids on LDs, resulting in decreased LD surface tension and impairment to form bridges to the ER. Our findings uncover a function for Arf1/COPI proteins at LDs and suggest a model in which Arf1/COPI machinery acts to control ER-LD connections for localization of key enzymes of TG storage and catabolism.

scholarly journals Comparison of In Vitro Activities of Camptothecin and Nitidine Derivatives against Fungal and Cancer Cells

1999 ◽  
Vol 43 (12) ◽  
pp. 2862-2868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Del Poeta ◽  
Shih-Fong Chen ◽  
Daniel Von Hoff ◽  
Christine C. Dykstra ◽  
Mansukh C. Wani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antifungal Activity ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Topoisomerase I ◽  
Active Form ◽  
Antifungal Drugs ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Original Structure ◽  
Camptothecin Analogs

ABSTRACT The activities of a series of camptothecin and nitidine derivatives that might interact with topoisomerase I were compared against yeast and cancer cell lines. Our findings reveal that structural modifications to camptothecin derivatives have profound effects on the topoisomerase I-drug poison complex in cells. Although the water-soluble anticancer agents topotecan and irinotecan are less active than the original structure, camptothecin, other derivatives or analogs with substitutions that increase compound solubility have also increased antifungal activities. In fact, a water-soluble prodrug appears to penetrate into the cell and release its active form; the resulting effect in complex with Cryptococcus neoformanstopoisomerase I is a fungicidal response and also potent antitumor activity. Some of the compounds that are not toxic to wild-type yeast cells are extremely toxic to the yeast cells when the C. neoformans topoisomerase I target is overexpressed. With the known antifungal mechanism of a camptothecin-topoisomerase I complex as a cellular poison, these findings indicate that drug entry may be extremely important for antifungal activity. Nitidine chloride exhibits antifungal activity against yeast cells through a mechanism(s) other than topoisomerase I and appears to be less active than camptothecin analogs against tumor cells. Finally, some camptothecin analogs exhibit synergistic antifungal activity against yeast cells in combination with amphotericin B in vitro. Our results suggest that camptothecin and/or nitidine derivatives can exhibit potent antifungal activity and that the activities of camptothecin derivatives with existing antifungal drugs may be synergistic against pathogenic fungi. These new compounds, which exhibit potent antitumor activities, will likely require further structural changes to find more selective activity against fungal versus mammalian cells to hold promise as a new class of antifungal agents.

scholarly journals Identification and Functional Characterization of a Novel Nuclear Localization Signal Present in the Yeast Nab2 Poly(A)+ RNA Binding Protein

1998 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1449-1458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ray Truant ◽  
Robert A. Fridell ◽  
R. Edward Benson ◽  
Hal Bogerd ◽  
Bryan R. Cullen
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Nuclear Import ◽  
Nuclear Localization Signal ◽  
Nuclear Export ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Vitro Assay ◽  
Localization Signal

ABSTRACT The nuclear import of proteins bearing a basic nuclear localization signal (NLS) is dependent on karyopherin α/importin α, which acts as the NLS receptor, and karyopherin β1/importin β, which binds karyopherin α and mediates the nuclear import of the resultant ternary complex. Recently, a second nuclear import pathway that allows the rapid reentry into the nucleus of proteins that participate in the nuclear export of mature mRNAs has been identified. In mammalian cells, a single NLS specific for this alternate pathway, the M9 NLS of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNPA1), has been described. The M9 NLS binds a transport factor related to karyopherin β1, termed karyopherin β2 or transportin, and does not require a karyopherin α-like adapter protein. A yeast homolog of karyopherin β2, termed Kap104p, has also been described and proposed to play a role in the nuclear import of a yeast hnRNP-like protein termed Nab2p. Here, we define a Nab2p sequence that binds to Kap104p and that functions as an NLS in both human and yeast cells despite lacking any evident similarity to basic or M9 NLSs. Using an in vitro nuclear import assay, we demonstrate that Kap104p can direct the import into isolated human cell nuclei of a substrate containing a wild-type, but not a defective mutant, Nab2p NLS. In contrast, other NLSs, including the M9 NLS, could not function as substrates for Kap104p. Surprisingly, this in vitro assay also revealed that human karyopherin β1, but not the Kap104p homolog karyopherin β2, could direct the efficient nuclear import of a Nab2p NLS substrate in vitro in the absence of karyopherin α. These data therefore identify a novel NLS sequence, active in both yeast and mammalian cells, that is functionally distinct from both basic and M9 NLS sequences.

scholarly journals Expression of Hygromycin Phosphotransferase Alters Virulence of Histoplasma capsulatum

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 2066-2071 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. George Smulian ◽  
Reta S. Gibbons ◽  
Jeffery A. Demland ◽  
Deborah T. Spaulding ◽  
George S. Deepe
Keyword(s):  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Histoplasma Capsulatum ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Selectable Marker ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Hygromycin Phosphotransferase ◽  
Dominant Selectable Marker

ABSTRACT The Escherichia coli hygromycin phosphotransferase (hph) gene, which confers hygromycin resistance, is commonly used as a dominant selectable marker in genetically modified bacteria, fungi, plants, insects, and mammalian cells. Expression of the hph gene has rarely been reported to induce effects other than those expected. Hygromycin B is the most common dominant selectable marker used in the molecular manipulation of Histoplasma capsulatum in the generation of knockout strains of H. capsulatum or as a marker in mutant strains. hph-expressing organisms appear to have no defect in long-term in vitro growth and survival and have been successfully used to exploit host-parasite interaction in short-term cell culture systems and animal experiments. We introduced the hph gene as a selectable marker together with the gene encoding green fluorescent protein into wild-type strains of H. capsulatum. Infection of mice with hph-expressing H. capsulatum yeast cells at sublethal doses resulted in lethality. The lethality was not attributable to the site of integration of the hph construct into the genomes or to the method of integration and was not H. capsulatum strain related. Death of mice was not caused by altered cytokine profiles or an overwhelming fungal burden. The lethality was dependent on the kinase activity of hygromycin phosphotransferase. These results should raise awareness of the potential detrimental effects of the hph gene.

scholarly journals Lipid Droplets Protect Aging Mitochondria and Thus Promote Lifespan in Yeast Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Kovacs ◽  
Florian Geltinger ◽  
Thomas Verwanger ◽  
Richard Weiss ◽  
Klaus Richter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Droplets ◽  
Neutral Lipids ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Premature Aging ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Mitochondrial Morphology ◽  
Ros Production ◽  
Replicative Lifespan ◽  
Cellular Detoxification ◽  
Main Driver

Besides their role as a storage for neutral lipids and sterols, there is increasing evidence that lipid droplets (LDs) are involved in cellular detoxification. LDs are in close contact to a broad variety of organelles where protein- and lipid exchange is mediated. Mitochondria as a main driver of the aging process produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage several cellular components. LDs as highly dynamic organelles mediate a potent detoxification mechanism by taking up toxic lipids and proteins. A stimulation of LDs induced by the simultaneously overexpression of Lro1p and Dga1p (both encoding acyltransferases) prolongs the chronological as well as the replicative lifespan of yeast cells. The increased number of LDs reduces mitochondrial fragmentation as well as mitochondrial ROS production, both phenotypes that are signs of aging. Strains with an altered LD content or morphology as in the sei1∆ or lro1∆ mutant lead to a reduced replicative lifespan. In a yeast strain defective for the LON protease Pim1p, which showed an enhanced ROS production, increased doubling time and an altered mitochondrial morphology, a LRO1 overexpression resulted in a partially reversion of this “premature aging” phenotype.

scholarly journals Lipid droplets form a network interconnected by the endoplasmic reticulum through which they equilibrate their proteins

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphanie Cottier ◽  
Roger Schneiter
Keyword(s):  
Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽  
Lipid Droplets ◽  
Neutral Lipids ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Zygote Formation ◽  
Protein Transfer ◽  
Mating Partner ◽  
Functional Connection ◽  
Yeast Mating ◽  
Er Membrane

Lipid droplets (LDs) are globular intracellular structures dedicated to the storage of neutral lipids. They are closely associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and are delineated by a monolayer of phospholipids that is continuous with the cytoplasmic leaflet of the ER membrane. LDs contain a specific set of proteins, but how these proteins are targeted to the LD surface is not fully understood. Here we devised a yeast mating-based microscopic readout to monitor the transfer of LD proteins upon zygote formation. The results of this analysis indicate that ER fusion between mating partners is required for transfer of LD proteins and that this transfer is continuous, bidirectional and affects most LDs simultaneously. These observations suggest that LDs do not fuse upon mating of yeast cells, but that they form a network that is interconnected through the ER membrane. Consistent with this, ER-localized LD proteins rapidly move onto LDs of a mating partner and this protein transfer is affected by seipin, a protein important for proper LD biogenesis and the functional connection of LDs with the ER membrane.

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